MADISON, Tenn. - Finding a job in this economy is hard from anyone, but for one group it is nearly impossible. It seems no one wants to hire someone who has served time behind bars.
Inside a small office in Madison, every day for a group of women is a mission.
It's a fight with their organization H.U.G.G.S., or Humility Understanding God Grace Spiritual Strength, to empower those who will certainly have a fight of their own.
"It's designed to help ex-offenders become productive citizens," said Executive Director Sherri Jackson.
In a time when finding a job is difficult research has shown that even an entry level position for someone like two time offender Anissa Holbert is extremely hard to come by.
"I have already did my debt to society, I have paid, but you still want to say I am not worthy of a job," said Holbert.
Now working on her GED, Holbert says H.U.G.G.S helped her find a job, gave her direction and kept her focus.
Jackson knows Holbert's story well. Not just because she helped counsel her, but because she was her.
"I'm and ex-offender and once I got out I realized there was no support out here to help me. So, now H.U.G.G.S, is out here as a middle person to help people get back into society the right way," Jackson said.
Nearly 100 ex-offenders come to the program each month and the organization helps find housing, jobs and provides counseling. But now the group wants to do more than find jobs.
"We want to create jobs for the ex-offender. We want to open a bakery," Jackson shared.
H.U.G.G.S. Incorporated has already found a location they would like to open that bakery. It's in the heart of North Nashville on Jefferson Street.
The cost to lease the building is $12,000; money they don't have, but through fundraisers they are working towards achieving that goal.
Ex-offenders said this will be great for them and great for the community.
"The bakery would not only give us an opportunity for a job, but it would also open way for the neighborhood and the community to see that ex-offenders are worthy of jobs," said ex-offender and H.U.G.G.S. client Amanda Jackson.
Providing jobs helps keep ex-offenders from turning back to the life they once lived.
Getting the money to rent a building is just as much of a fight as finding ex-offenders jobs, but it's a battle everyone says is worth fighting.
"They won't just look at us as an ex-offender anymore; they will be able to look at us as a human being and a person," said Amanda.
If you would like to help H.U.G.G.S. achieve their goal of starting a bakery, contact the organization by calling 615-727-6030 or 1160 Gallatin Pike S. Suite 204, Nashville, TN 37115.
