The U.S. Department of Labor is giving a Knoxville non-profit organization more than $1.2 million as part of nearly $86 million in awards for programs to help former inmates get back into the workforce.
The Knoxville Leadership Foundation, a religious-based group that works to ease the re-entry transition for those who were in jail or prison, was given the money to help former young adults who served time find meaningful employment.
The Reentry Projects across the U.S. will serve either young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system -- including those who did not complete high school -- or adults age 25 and older who were previously involved in the adult criminal justice system.
The Dept. of Labor said it awarded the grants to a combination of rural and urban projects located in high-crime, high-poverty communities.
On top of employment, restoring voting rights for felons is the focus of another group in Knoxville.
The One Knox Legacy Coalition has been working to help more people restore their right to vote. Their key message: Convicted felons in Tennessee can reclaim their ability to cast a ballot.
"In many cases, it has already been restored and you just don't know it. So we want to work with you so you can be an active member in your society and your communities," Christina Thompson with One Knox Legacy Coalition said.
The group is also working to simplify the process for felons to regain voting rights in the future.