A first-of-its-kind partnership unlocks new federal dollars to bring jobs, and long-term support to women returning home
Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations
cgross@ceoworks.org | (646) 370-8292
Phoenix, AZ –May 14, 2026–The Center for Employment Opportunities announces a partnership with Phoenix-based reentry organization, Arouet Foundation (Arouet), to support and build out a paid transitional employment program modeled after CEO’s nationally recognized approach. This collaboration emerges from Opportunity 2030, CEO’s national blueprint to lay the foundation for the reentry infrastructure America has long needed. By 2030, CEO aims to expand from 12 to 20 states, unlock $750 million in government investment and reach 127,000 justice-impacted people, building a national reentry network where everyone returning from incarceration has access to income, stability, and opportunity on day one.
The partnership with Arouet positions Phoenix a leading site for reentry innovation and workforce systems change, while also reflecting CEO’s broader national approach: implementing SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) as one piece of a larger strategy to stabilize and grow investments in reentry while equipping local partners with the tools to lead.
“This is about more than a single program or funding stream,” said Genevieve Rimer, Vice President, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building at CEO. “As a formerly incarcerated woman, I know how fragmented reentry systems can be. Our goal is to work alongside partners like Arouet to build something more cohesive, where policy, funding, and services actually align to support women before release and long after they return home.”
“At Arouet, we’ve always focused on walking with women from incarceration through long-term independence,” said Brandy Smith, Vice President of Internal Affairs and Program Operations at Arouet Foundation. “As someone who has lived this journey, I understand how important it is to have consistent, meaningful support. This partnership allows us to expand workforce opportunities while strengthening the systems women rely on to rebuild their lives.”
Arouet has built one of the region’s most comprehensive models for supporting women returning from incarceration, beginning with pre-release services and continuing with long-term support throughout the reentry journey. Arouet’s THRIVE Continuum focuses on long-term economic mobility and stability: building confidence before release, ensuring access to healthcare through dedicated navigation services, and equipping women for long-term economic independence through workforce training and career pathways.
As social safety nets unravel and crucial supports for people returning from incarceration come under threat, CEO’s expansion strategy centers less on its own growth, and focuses on building a network of reentry organizations to ensure every person returning from incarceration has access to an income and a pathway to a career. To do so CEO leverages its expertise and infrastructure to assist local reentry non-profits across the country secure sustainable funding streams to expand services.
Accessing public funds is key to strengthening the entire reentry eco-system. For more than 15 years, CEO has used SNAP E&T to scale its paid transitional job model ensuring immediate income for tens of thousands of people returning from prison. Geography should not determine whether or not someone can enroll in a program able to offer that kind of financial support. Opportunity 2030 draws on CEO’s expertise of SNAP E&T to expand access to subsidized work-based learning, allowing Arouet to receive additional federal resources by reimbursing participant wages.
The partnership goes beyond SNAP. Together, CEO and Arouet are building infrastructure that strengthens the overall reentry ecosystem in Phoenix, including:
By combining local leadership with national strategy, CEO and Arouet are demonstrating what it looks like to scale reentry solutions in a way that is both practical and sustainable—grounded in community, informed by lived experience, and designed to influence systems at large.
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About the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to individuals returning from incarceration, while advancing system-level solutions that improve access to opportunity nationwide.
About Arouet Foundation
The Arouet Foundation is a Phoenix-based nonprofit advancing economic mobility for justice-impacted women through workforce development, navigation services, and long-term reentry support. Through its THRIVE Continuum, Arouet provides pre-release engagement, career pathways, and stabilization services designed to support long-term independence and economic prosperity