Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 100
Joe Molieri/Bread for the World
Nate Gordon, a leader
with the HELP Program,
and his daughter at his
ex-girlfriend’s mother’s
house. Though Nate
works at night, he always
makes an effort to visit his
children each week.
In an effort to reduce recidivism, the state of Ohio has repealed some of the sanctions against
returning citizens. The Second Chance Act of 2007, a federal law, was originally sponsored
by two members of Congress from Ohio, Senator Rob Portman and the late Rep. Stephanie
Tubbs Jones, who represented the Cleveland area.7 The federal law provides funds for job
training and other re-entry programs but leaves the imposition or repeal of sanctions up to the
states. The repeal of sanctions in Ohio means that returning citizens have access to somewhat
more help than their counterparts in some other states. But they still face daunting challenges.
Public perceptions often change far
more slowly than laws.
Marquez McCoy’s experience
is a perfect illustration of this. In
February 2013, less than a month
before we met him for the first time,
Marquez was turned down for a job
working in the storeroom at a casino.
Of course, nearly everyone has interviewed for a job and not gotten it, but
Marquez’s interview process shows
the ongoing challenges confronting
people coming out of prison. He
had made a good impression on the
storeroom manager. A small, muscular guy in his early 30s, he came
across as quite capable of doing the
work. He was honest about his pas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