Stay Informed!

By Sean Luechtefeld on 08/19/2010 @ 06:15 PM

Tags: Innovation, Innovators, Matched Savings

Today’s Innovation Update comes from Chuck Shannon, who has been working closely with CFED Innovative Idea Engineer Leonard McCollum to incorporate green aspects and IDAs into entrepreneurship training programs for prisoners transitioning back into mainstream society. Chuck and Leonard will be presenting their idea and discussing the topics of green entrepreneurship and prisoner reentry in a session at the 2010 Assets Learning Conference.

Since the fall of 2009, Chuck has modified and refined his idea to focus on incorporating green jobs and IDAs into prisoner re-entry programs. A business model, “Prisoner Reentry and ‘Green’ Business: Synergy with IDAs,” has been developed through the consortium of the Triple Bottom Line Partners, the Green Entrepreneur Program, The Progress Group and Charles Shannon Consulting. The first community-based collaborator is Leonard McCollum, another 2009 CFED Idea Engineer, of Grace Capital CDC in Houston, which has an established program for prisoner reentry, but will now add ‘green’ jobs and ‘green’ business development as an area of focus. Prisoner and/or family member IDAs can be used for traditional individual uses such as post-secondary vocational education and small business start-up. However, upon reentry to community, prisoners may pool their IDA savings to form business ownership cooperatives. Chuck and his colleagues continue to dialogue with representatives of the American Correctional Association, whose interest includes collaborating and using his model with inmates.

Thanks for the update, Chuck! Should you have questions for Chuck, please use the comments section below!

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