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Missouri is Leading the Way on a Major SHRM Foundation Initiative

Have you heard about the SHRM Foundation’s Getting Talent Back to Work initiative? Or why CEOs from companies like AT&T, Lowe’s, Macy’s, PepsiCo, and Visa have joined the Second Chance Business Coalition?

These initiatives are helping employers tap into an often-overlooked talent pool—80 million justice-involved Americans. Each year, approximately 700,000 individuals are released and ready to work, supported by treatment court judges and holistic reentry services designed to help them rebuild their lives, secure employment, and reconnect with their families and communities.
Missouri is leading the way.

The Reimagining Your Workforce initiative, led by University of Missouri Extension, (Mizzou!), is focused on strengthening workforce pathways across the state. These conferences bring together organizations that share a vested interest in building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable workforce.

Each conference brings together:

The goal is to move beyond discussion and create space for shared learning, partnership-building, and practical strategies that support both business needs and community outcomes.

The local events are sponsored by SHRM of Greater St. Louis and offer 3 SHRM credits.

 
As one participant in Springfield shared:

“This event is bringing numerous resources and people together that are all working toward the same goal. We wanted to come and find out what other resources are available, who else is doing this work, and build a stronger network of relationships around our shared workforce development goals.”
— Andrew Bieber, Creative Modular Construction

The SHRM Foundation launched its Getting Talent Back to Work initiative in 2019—just before the pandemic. I remember Johnny C. Taylor speaking about it at the local SHRM Leadership Conference that year. A lot of work has been done over the last seven years. Now is the perfect time to take a no-risk step toward learning how these programs can benefit your organization.

As Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation, stated:

“We have the opportunity and obligation as HR professionals to engage with these individuals, bring them into our places of business, and develop them to be the very best they can be so that all people and business communities thrive.”

Missouri is also home to innovative programs like Prison Performing Arts and Puppies for Parole! Both of these programs demonstrate the impact of rehabilitation, skill-building, and second chances.

At the last breakfast meeting, a colleague shared how meaningful it was to attend a performance at the Vandalia prison. After my daughter visited the prison and learned about Puppies for Parole as part of her MSW program at Mizzou, we adopted our dog, Jake, from there! One of the graduates is now a Vet Tech in Springfield and shared his lived experiences at the event. These programs are not just ideas—they are changing lives and strengthening communities.

I’m proud to partner with: Concordance, University of Missouri Extension, and MO Dept of Social Services the Office of Workforce and Community Initiatives to bring these events to our community. Thanks to sponsors like SHRM of Greater St. Louis, Emerson, and Craftsmen, we’re able to offer them at a minimal cost of $25.00.

If you’ve ever wondered whether second-chance hiring could work for your organization—this is the place to start.

I hope to see you there.

Judy Julius, Owner, Primary Consultant, EEO Consulting, LLC
 
Resources:
Getting Talent Back to Work initiative
Second Chance Business Coalition
Puppies for Parole
Prison Performing Arts
University of Missouri Extension