The Beacon of Hope Business Alliance
Every neighborhood has potential waiting to be unlocked. Every person has strengths that can fuel growth, dignity, and belonging. At the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance, we believe that work is one of the greatest tools we have to restore opportunity and transform lives.
Beacon of Hope is a coalition of employers, community partners, and supporters who are committed to hiring individuals with criminal records and helping them flourish in the workplace. We help businesses build strong teams by connecting them to job seekers who are ready for a new start. We also support those job seekers by ensuring they have the services, coaching, and network critical to helping build thriving careers… and lives.
Our mission is to expand opportunity through the power of work. Our vision is a thriving Cincinnati region where businesses grow stronger, individuals overcome their past, and families flourish with dignity.
As of October, Beacon of Hope has returned to its roots. After several years at Cincinnati Works, the program has returned home to Nehemiah Manufacturing where the model was first developed.
The homecoming is more than a physical relocation. It reflects a renewed commitment to growth, innovation, and partnership. Together, we are ready to build on the momentum of the past decade and open new doors for individuals, employers, and communities.
Why Second Chance Hiring Matters
More than one in three adults in the United States has a criminal record. That fact alone limits access to employment, housing, and education for millions of people. Yet employers across the country also face unprecedented talent shortages, high turnover, and costly recruitment cycles.
Second chance hiring sits at the intersection of these two realities. It offers companies access to talented, motivated individuals who are seeking opportunity. It also gives individuals a chance to rebuild their lives and participate fully in the economy.
When employers hire people ready to rebuild their lives and careers, everyone benefits. Businesses gain dedicated talent. Families regain stability. Neighborhoods grow stronger. Taxpayers save money when recidivism falls. Our region becomes stronger and more prosperous.
At Beacon of Hope, we have seen this transformation firsthand. Employers who take part in this work often discover that the people they hire return the investment many times over. They are hungry to contribute. They stay. They grow. They bring gratitude, discipline, and perspective into the workplace.
Second chance hiring is not charity. It is smart, strategic workforce development. And it contributes to a safer, more prosperous community.
What We Do
Beacon of Hope works on both sides of the employment equation. We partner with employers who want to build fair chance hiring programs. We also collaborate with reentry and workforce organizations to support job seekers on their path to long-term success.
Our work includes:
• Employer recruitment and onboarding
• Job seeker referrals through trusted workforce partners
• Training and best practice sharing
• Retention support and problem solving
• Peer learning networks and community events
We serve as a bridge. We bring people and partners together so that barriers can be removed and opportunities can grow. We do not ask employers to solve every need. Instead, we create pathways to trusted supports such as coaching, skills training, mental health services, and mentoring.
This integrated approach increases retention and gives both the employer and employee the support they need to thrive.
A Decade of Growth
The Beacon of Hope story began in 2016. Nehemiah Manufacturing, founded by Dan Meyer, built its business around second chance employment. The company proved that hiring people working to rebuild their lives, including those coming out of incarceration, and providing wraparound support can create strong, dedicated teams and healthy community outcomes.
Other employers wanted to learn from the model and replicate it. That is how the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance was born.
Over the years, dozens of companies have joined the movement and thousands of individuals have been connected to meaningful work. The time spent with Cincinnati Works helped broaden these efforts, strengthen employer services, and deepen community connections.
Now, as Beacon of Hope has returned to Nehemiah, the program is entering a new chapter defined by innovation, scale, and storytelling. We are working to support more jobseekers and deepen relationships with employers across the region. Over time, we plan to expand programming, build new services, and help more individuals and families achieve economic mobility.
What Comes Next
2026 marks our tenth anniversary and a year of renewed momentum. We are investing in stronger employer supports, a membership model that rewards participation and learning, and new ways to help companies lead with purpose. Throughout the year, we will host events, share stories, and elevate the voices of individuals whose lives have been changed, along with the businesses that have walked alongside them.
This work is only possible because of our partners across the region, including employers, community organizations, advocates, and supporters. Together, we are proving what is possible when we remove barriers and believe in people.
If you are an employer who wants to learn more about second chance hiring, we would love to meet with you. If you are a community organization that works with returning citizens, we welcome collaboration. If you simply care about people and believe in the power of work, there is a place for you in this movement.
Join Us
Work restores purpose. Work restores dignity. Work restores hope.
Beacon of Hope is committed to walking alongside individuals and employers so that both can grow. When opportunity expands, communities are strengthened, and families can thrive.
We invite you to join us as we help rewrite stories, build careers, and shape a more prosperous Cincinnati.
Learn more at beaconofhopeba.com.
By: Rayshun Holt
President, Beacon of Hope Business Alliance
