Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce plans job fair for former inmates

PORT ORANGE – For Volusia County Council member Matt Reinhart, the most heartbreaking moment of his 30-year career as a Volusia County corrections officer was “seeing the same faces back in jail.”

One of the reasons some former inmates slip back into crime is their inability to find work after they leave prison, says Reinhart, who retired in 2017 as warden of the Volusia County Branch Jail and the Volusia County Corrections Center.

The Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce hopes to change that.

On Wednesday, the Chamber, in partnership with the Volusia County Division of Corrections, will host its first-ever Second Chance Job Fair at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will provide soon-to-be-released inmates the opportunity to apply for potential jobs with local employers.

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” said Barbara Ann Heegan, president and CEO of the chamber. “We know that with stable housing, stable transportation and stable employment, people can rebuild their lives and make very positive contributions to our community.”

What do the statistics say about demand?

According to the website of a California-based group called Prison to Employment Connection, the recidivism rate—that is, the rate of returning to criminal behavior—among former prisoners who keep a job in the first year after release is only 16 percent, compared to 52 percent among those who are unemployed.

The Volusia County Department of Corrections has 17,976 inmates registered in 2023. The average length of stay behind bars was 18 days, but 56% spent only 1 to 3 days in custody, according to the department's most recent annual report. The current average daily incarceration is 1,380.

“Frequent flyers” – people who have been incarcerated multiple times – remain a major problem. The department counted 37 people last year who had been incarcerated eight or more times.

“Employment definitely improves the prospects of former inmates,” said Joe DeMore, corrections director for the Volusia County Department of Corrections. “If this Second Chance Job Fair can help even one person, it's worth it.”

How did the Chamber become involved?

The Chamber launched its Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative earlier this year to help people recover from addiction. The Second Chance Initiative is an extension of that program.

Reinhart, whose brother died of a drug overdose last year, was one of the speakers at the chamber event that launched the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative in April.

Reinhart said he spoke to Heegan about how helping former inmates find jobs significantly reduces the likelihood that they will fall back into their old “bad habits.”

“Think of all those who return to prison because the doors to find work are always closed to them,” he said. “I want to open those doors.”

Reinhart said he has already spoken to several employers who would like to participate in the Second Chance Job Fair.

“I am very excited about this partnership with the Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “This job fair fits perfectly with my vision for reintegrating our inmates into society. The Second Chance Initiative has the potential to lower recidivism rates, reduce crime and help reintegrate those who have made mistakes as productive members of our community.”

Where does the job fair take place?

The Volusia County Branch Jail is located at 1300 Red John Drive in Daytona Beach.

Wanted: willing employers

The Chamber has set a registration deadline for employers to participate in the Second Chance Job Fair until Monday, 5 p.m.

“By participating, they have the opportunity to connect directly with job seekers, resulting in a more effective and personalized job search experience,” Heegan said.

For more information, email Heegan at [email protected] or call 386-761-1601.

Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce plans job fair for former inmates

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