Televerde Foundation and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Collaborate to Empower Women Impacted by Incarceration

PHOENIX, July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Televerde Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides personal and professional development opportunities to incarcerated individuals so they can attain meaningful and rewarding careers upon release, is pleased to announce a collaboration with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) to help women impacted by incarceration gain the tech skills needed to grow in meaningful careers.

As part of the collaboration, AWS is donating $50,000 to provide job training and reentry support for justice-involved women. Studies show that employment reduces the likelihood of recidivism, and 94% of Televerde Foundation graduates have secured meaningful employment within one year of release (compared with the national average of 54%). With a recidivism rate of 5.4%, foundation graduates are 91% less likely to return to prison than the national average. Televerde Foundation will incorporate AWS cloud fundamentals curriculum into its Career PATHS Workforce Development program to help grow participants' tech skills and prepare them for tech career opportunities after release. In addition, AWS employees will provide volunteer and mentoring support through the Foundation's reentry program.

"Everyone should have access to economic opportunity, regardless of background or circumstance," said Michelle Cirocco, executive director, Televerde Foundation. "Our collaboration with AWS will help us ensure that women impacted by incarceration are provided with the opportunity to reenter the workforce and build thriving futures for themselves and their families. Nearly 2 million women are released from U.S. prisons and jails each year and denied access to employment, housing, education, and other resources critical for successful reentry. Our goal is to change this by providing as many women as we can with the support and opportunity they need to establish economic security and change their future trajectory. We are thrilled to have AWS working alongside us."

Televerde Foundation's Career PATHS Center is a 6-month program that includes the following components:

• Business Fundamentals and Communications class designed and taught by Arizona State University professor Dr. Julia La Rosa.
• Customer Service training and certification from LinkedIn.
• Inside Sales course and certification from ASU and SV Academy.
• Computer Technician certification through Cisco's Networking Academy.
• Televerde Foundation's PATHS reentry program.
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner training from AWS Training and Certification. (new)

"AWS believes in the power of skills training to positively change lives, and we are committed to making cloud computing skills training widely accessible across the communities in which we operate. We are proud to support Televerde Foundation's efforts to empower current and formerly incarcerated women with access to training and career support to help them launch their next chapter," said AWS Social Impact Global Lead Maggie Carter.

About Televerde Foundation

Televerde Foundation provides training, education, personal and professional development programs to prepare currently and formerly incarcerated women for meaningful and rewarding careers and successful community reintegration.

Televerde Foundation uses best practices and certified, accredited curricula to ensure all program participants receive relevant, useful, and reputable training and education. Partnering with a host of organizations, including government agencies, service providers, non-profits, faith-based organizations, community partners, higher-ed institutions and for-profit businesses, Televerde Foundation provides a complete suite of services necessary for successful reentry and career development. For more information visit http://www.televerdefoundation.org or call 480-771-6670.

Media Contact

Kellie Walenciak

+1 908 377 9968

kellie.walenciak@televerde.com

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SOURCE Televerde Foundation