text: PEORIA (25News Now) – Life after prison is full of challenges, but a woman-owned and operated organization is encouraging women who have spent time in prison to build real careers instead of finding their way back to prison. We are working to give you real opportunities.
  A 2021 Illinois survey of people released from prison found that 45.5% were unemployed. The average income for those with jobs was $8,998 per year, below the federal poverty level that year.
  “It’s like no matter what I do, no matter how good I do, that permanent scar is always going to be there,” said Marilyn Brown, business specialist at Labyrinth Made Goods.
  After Brown was released from prison, he wanted to rebuild his life, but reintegrating back into society was difficult.
  “Once I regained the trust of society, I had a hard time finding a job. I went to a homeless shelter right after I got out of prison,” Brown said.
  Brown joined Bloomington-based Labyrinth Made Goods in 2021, which created a fragrance business that makes candles, wax melts and car air fresheners. The company partners with YWCA of McLean County to provide employment opportunities to formerly incarcerated women.
  Liz German, CEO of Labyrinth Made Goods, said that in addition to the obstacles that come with finding a job for a formerly incarcerated person, formerly incarcerated women have a hard time finding work while on parole or probation. He said he is going through an even more difficult time due to his obligations. Many of the women who participate in the program are also mothers who follow the same path upon release.
  “We provide all of these resources to help women progress, grow and return to fulfilling lives after experiencing incarceration,” German said.
  Starting with the YWCA Strive program, women learn career skills such as computers and digital tasks and gain greater confidence.
  After graduation, you will be eligible to work as an apprentice at Labyrinth Made Goods and be eligible for a permanent position with the company.
  They learn all the important parts of running a small business while working at a fragrance company.
  “It’s brought hope and faith back into me from a society that I know I’ve definitely lost,” said Shay Treese, a salesperson at Labyrinth Made Goods.
  Tolise works with wholesalers to increase awareness of branded products.
  German added that the recidivism rate for women who went through the program was only 6%, which is extremely low compared to the state average of 38% to 44% as reported by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
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