The City of Knoxville’s Save Our Sons (SOS) initiative is hosting a job fair focused on helping ex-offenders find jobs, receive help building their resumes, connect to educational programs, and get assistance with background checks and record expungement. The fair will be held 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Midway Rehabilitation Center, 1515 Magnolia Ave.

“Save Our Sons is focused on building better communities,” said SOS Outreach Manager Kevin Perry. “A key component to safe, healthy communities is ensuring that ex-offenders have a smooth transition back into society. This job fair is a way to connect them to jobs and resources that will help them to succeed personally and professionally.”

Organizations attending the job fair will be: Connect Ministries, Knoxville Area Transit (KAT), Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB), Job Corps, Knoxville Leadership Foundation, Friends of Literacy, Tennessee Department of Correction, Pellissippi State Community College, University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville Area Urban League and representatives from the State of Tennessee Mobile Career Coach.

SOS has held several job fairs over the past few months in an effort to remove barriers to employment by bringing employers in direct contact with residents. Prior to conducting the job fairs, SOS developed a survey and contracted with the non-profit organization SEEED to conduct a campaign to determine employment needs and barriers to employment for East Knoxville residents. In addition, SOS has collected data from each job fair to enhance opportunities to connect job seekers with employers who are hiring. 

“Finding employment and receiving support provides hope. Without options, a large percentage of parolees return to prison,” said Community Relations Director Avice Reid. “Save Our Sons is hosting this event to help provide answers, second chances and opportunities to reduce recidivism. We all know that providing people with jobs leads to better economies, lower crime rates, and stronger families and communities.”

For more information regarding the Save Our Sons initiative, visit www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/SOSKnoxville. Or contact Avice Reid at 865-215-2536, Kevin Perry at 865-215-2589, or Tatia Harris at 865-215-2831.