Celebrating the Launch of Center for Employment Opportunities

On October 23, we officially welcomed Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) at our first annual Detroit SHIFT launch event (#DetSHIFT)! This was the culmination of our first cycle where hundreds of Detroiters helped identify critical needs and worked collectively to support a proven solution.

CEO launched in Detroit to provide immediate and comprehensive employment to men and women with criminal convictions. Currently two transitional work crews are operating throughout Detroit for returning citizens, who are then placed in full-time positions and supported for another full year. CEO’s goal is to employ over 300 returning citizens annually in Detroit by year three and then grow even further.

At our inaugural SHIFT event, we welcomed the new CEO Detroit staff, led by native Detroiter and Founding Executive Director, Margrit Allen. Sam Schaeffer, CEO National Executive Director and CEO shared the organization’s vision not only locally but across the nation. GreenLight Fund Co-Founder John Simon also shared the organization’s hope to support organizations like CEO in multiple cities and accelerate their impact locally. GreenLight Fund Founding Executive Director Rishi Moudgil thanked all the Detroit contributors to bringing CEO here and encouraged the audience to continue to “shift” their approaches to investing in social impact.

The evening featured artwork created by local incarcerated citizens, curated by the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan. We also convened a fantastic group of “Next Gen” emerging leaders who are fighting pressing social challenges in a plethora of ways across sectors. We’re inspired by so many of you who continue such critical work!

Over the next four years, we will continue working with CEO to grow their social impact and ensure a sustainable future in Detroit.

Special thanks to our sponsors for making Detroit SHIFT possible:

Looking forward to Detroit SHIFT 2019!