After serving 15 years in prison, Dave Dahl and his brother, Glenn, went to work in their parents’ bakery with two goals – great bread and employment opportunities for ex-convicts. The company, which claims one-third of its workforce is comprised of ex-convicts, began their “Killer Bread” line in 2005 and is now launching their Second Chance Project which aims to help felons share their stories as they rejoin the workforce.
While employing felons comes with its own set of risks, such as reverting to previous criminal behavior, the co-founders say ex-convicts are grateful for employment opportunities and therefore less likely to quit. Additionally, if the hiree is less than a year out of prison, the company can qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit which entitles employers to $2,400 for every adult felon hired.
This story was one of the best from 2019, and we are happy to include it in our “12 Days of Optimism” as we get ready to welcome 2020!
