Cornell Hood is focused on his future. Sentenced to life in prison for a drug charge, he studied for hours in the prison law library and won his release after eight years. He’s vowed to never return.
When the pandemic began, Cornell came to the Urban League of Louisiana’s Office of Workforce Development, joining its Career Pathways Program just as the training program went virtual. “This is my second chance,” Cornell said. “My goal is to make this opportunity work for me and my family.” United Way of Southeast Louisiana in New Orleans believes every person deserves the chance to live their best life; that's why United Way provided COVID funding to the program.
Louisiana has the country’s highest incarceration rates, and re-entry can be tough. The Urban League has worked hard to develop a steady pipeline of ready-to-work individuals, especially the formerly incarcerated. COVID added additional financial pressures, but through Urban League partnerships with other community organizations, many returning citizens, like Cornell, received a small stipend, as he reached milestones in Urban League’s Career Pathways Program for job training. United WAY