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Two Northeast Florida Nonprofits Receive $2M In Federal Grants To Help Find Work For Ex-offenders

Two First Coast organizations received federal grants Thursday to help them find jobs for people getting out of jail or prison.

First Coast Workforce Development in Fleming Island received more than $1 million to support its work with juvenile offenders.

And Jacksonville’s Operation New Hope is getting more than $1.1 million for its efforts to help adult ex-offenders.

U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez says the grants reflect President Barack Obama’s belief in what’s called “restorative justice.”

“These grants are all about giving second chances to people because the president believes in second chances,” Perez said. “The president believes that everyone is gifted and talented and that it’s our duty as a nation to bring out those gifts and talents.”

The Jacksonville-area grants are two of about 30 awarded nationwide.

Perez says the Labor Department has been supporting job programs for ex-offenders for the past 3 years.

Jessica Palombo supervises local news gathering and production, podcasts and web editorial content for WJCT News, ADAPT and Jacksonville Today. She is an award-winning writer and journalist with bylines including NPR, Experience Magazine, and The Gainesville Sun. She has a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University and is an alumna of the University of Florida. A nearly lifelong resident of Jacksonville, she considers herself lucky to be raising her own children in her hometown. Follow Jessica Palombo on Twitter: @JaxJessicaP