idealist.org

We are a non-profit social enterprise that helps recovering men and women rebuild their lives through the most powerful social program of all: A job.

Founded in 1984 by a recovering alcoholic, we own and operate two businesses in St. Paul, Minnesota, for the purpose of providing meaningful, transitional employment for men and women who want to become sober, self-sufficient and of service.

Our business units offer a recovery-laden, 12-step environment in which the recovering person is viewed with compassion, but not illusion. We demand productivity, accountability and forward motion from each student-employee. Students stay long enough to stabilize, build a job history and work reference, gain tangible skills, and build their capacity to be valuable to an employer. Then we help them land a more permanent job, and make room for the next candidate.

Our businesses also serve as the economic engines that sustain our work. We aim for our own self-sufficiency by funding 80% of our budget from business revenues and 20% from the generosity of individuals, foundations, businesses, churches, and service organizations. We currently neither seek nor receive government funding.

These businesses include a Custom Apparel and Promotions which produces every manner of logo'd clothing and promotional item (see www.rebuildstore.com), and a Contract Manufacturing business that serves as a supply chain partner to major companies.

Our work works: We've graduated nearly 900 men and women, with a measured success rate of 68% and a social return of nearly half a million dollars per successful graduate.