Choose to Change Aims to Change Lives by Providing New Jobs to Those With a Criminal Record

[WATCH]: Choose to Change and its upcoming Second Chance Job Fair is featured on KRGV Channel 5 News.

Across South Texas, individuals are searching for a way to provide for their families and be productive in their communities. When they have a stable income, they can focus on becoming better parents, spouses, and leaders.

Yet, far too often, they face discrimination and barriers that make it difficult to find a job. As a result, they face an increased risk of returning to a life of crime.

At Choose to Change, we believe that everyone deserves a second chance. That's why we're proud to announce the Second Chance Job Fair on Monday, April 11 held at The Door Christian Fellowship Church in McAllen.

See the Second Chance Job Fair Flyer for More Details

A Response to the Fatherless Epidemic

While incarcerations hit both men and women, men are the most likely to be incarcerated. As a result, their children are more likely to grow up without a father in the home.

The statistics are staggering:

Twenty million children across the US live without their fathers due to incarceration.
Fatherless families are nearly 40% more likely to experience poverty.
90% of runaway children report that their father had been incarcerated.
Children without fathers are 90% more likely to drop out of school.
Teenagers with incarcerated fathers are nine times as likely to engage in dangerous sexual activity as minors.

These stats - among many others - showcase the dangers that children face when their fathers are incarcerated. We need to do something to break this cycle. That is why our team at Choose to Change is stepping into the gap to help.

This job fair will provide individuals with a criminal history the opportunity to earn a stable income and begin rebuilding their lives. But we can't do it without your help.

Your support will allow us to continue our work in empowering individuals with a criminal history to take control of their lives and make positive changes for themselves and their families.

Second Chance Job Fair Opportunites

When previously incarcerated individuals can find a job, they're less likely to return to a life of crime. A stable income allows them to support their families, pay their bills, and take care of their responsibilities - without resorting to illegal activity.

The Second Chance Job Fair will provide individuals with a criminal history the opportunity to connect with employers who are willing to give them a chance. This job fair is open to anyone with a criminal record, regardless of their offense or time they have served.

Unfortunately, many individuals who have come out of prison fear that they will face discrimination when searching for a job. This apprehension often leads them to give up on their job search before they've even had a chance to start.

At the Second Chance Job Fair, dozens of businesses - several paying above minimum wage - will be ready to hire candidates on-site based on who they currently are, not who they were in the past.

Below are just some of the Second Chance Job Fair employers that will be there:

7/11
CAPA
Church's Chicken
El Pato
Genco Energy Services
IHOP
Kumori
RGV Properties Inc
Frio Lay Inc
People Ready
R&D Personnel
Sames Inc.
Shipley Donuts
Onin Staffing
Staff Force Inc
Superior Staffing

At Choose to Change, we want to help those individuals take the first step in finding employment. So our team will be on hand at the job fair to offer resume help, interview coaching, and other resources that will help participants put their best foot forward.

We need your help to make this job fair a success!

How You Can Help

There are three ways you can help us make the Second Chance Job Fair a success:

1. Donate to our cause

2. Volunteer at the job fair

3. Spread the word about the event

When you partner with us, you're helping to make a real difference in the lives of individuals looking for a new opportunity and a second chance. You're allowing them to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society. In turn, you help create stronger families and safer communities in McAllen, Texas.

When we help families rebuild their lives, we're fighting the fatherless epidemic and making a real impact in the fight against crime. So we invite you to join us in this effort to help those in need and make a difference in your community.

Contact Choose to Change today to learn how you can help make the Second Chance Job Fair a success! Your generous donation will make this event possible and empower individuals to take control of their lives.

Thank you for being so supportive - and we look forward to the Choose to Change Second Chance Job Fair on Monday, April 11th! See all the detail below: