Chrysalis Launches Safekeeping
Chrysalis has expanded by reorganizing and adding a new division of our Employment Social Enterprise. Chrysalis Safekeeping is supporting more transitional workers through partnerships with other organizations and very important safe storage projects such as The Bin. This story and others are featured in our newsletter.
GROWING OUR EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
For three decades, Chrysalis has offered transitional jobs to our clients through our employment social enterprise, Chrysalis Enterprises (CE). These opportunities are ideal for individuals who are navigating significant barriers to the workforce. Last year, this business distributed $12.1 million in wages to 1,666 clients working transitional jobs.Since the start of our current five-year strategic plan, our employment social enterprise has seen a 130% increase in the number of clients employed in transitional jobs. Some of this growth is thanks to the launch of a fourth business line earlier this year, Chrysalis Safekeeping!
Started within Chrysalis Works, Safekeeping is now recognized as its own division within CE. The name Safekeeping is a combination of safe storage and housekeeping. Through this branch, Chrysalis clients are employed as housekeeping, janitorial, and customer service staff members. This includes The Bin’s free, safe storage facilities, where housed and unhoused patrons may store and access personal property.
Flora, who previously worked a transitional job with Chrysalis, oversees housekeeping services at the Weingart Center. She reports that while she truly enjoys the cleaning aspect of her job, it is working with people that she has realized as her calling.
“I told a friend that I wanted to help people and I wanted to work for a nonprofit so when I was hired as a supervisor, my friend reminded me that I was doing just that!,” said Flora. “The people I supervise know where I came from and that enables them to know that they can do it, too.”
Another growing division of CE is Chrysalis Roads, a program focused on providing freeway maintenance jobs to individuals who have been impacted by the justice system. Since 2016, the program has connected nearly 1,500 Chrysalis clients to meaningful employment beautifying our California roadways.
Through a partnership with Caltrans, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Reentry, and the Butte County Office of Education, we added an additional crew to this program in Orange County this summer, for a total of 12 Chrysalis Roads crews across Southern California.
The addition of the Roads crew in Orange County coincided with the State of California’s announcement of Clean California. This program is a sweeping $1.1 billion, multiyear cleanup effort to remove trash, create thousands of jobs, and engage communities to transform roadsides and restore pride in public spaces. It is estimated that Clean California will generate 11,000 jobs over three years for veterans, students, people experiencing homelessness, and those re-entering society from incarceration. Chrysalis anticipates that the program will bring more transitional jobs with Chrysalis Roads crews and that many of these workers will go on to jobs with Caltrans.
Chrysalis’ President & CEO Mark Loranger and a Roads Supervisor of an OC-based crew spoke at the Clean California press conference. The Roads Supervisor, Matthew, spoke about the experience that led him to working on his job search with Chrysalis. Navigating depression and homelessness, he believes it was no accident when he noticed our tagline on a Chrysalis Roads van: Changing Lives Through Jobs.
Matthew completed our job-readiness program, accessed resume-writing services with a volunteer, and was provided with professional attire for interviews and transportation assistance before being referred to Chrysalis Roads by his Employment Specialist. He went on to be promoted to his current position of Roads Supervisor and is now preparing to leave Chrysalis for a fulltime job with Caltrans.
A transitional job can be a critical stepping stone for someone on their pathway to stability, security, and fulfillment in their work and life. Of the 1,623 clients who secured jobs with an employer outside of our organization in 2020, over 70% retained employment for six months or longer.
VIRTUAL VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: JANICE
When COVID-19 hit, Janice’s career in the travel and leisure industry was immediately impacted. Layoffs were widespread and, while she was fortunate to remain employed, her workload was increased to compensate for it.
When she started volunteering with clients virtually, she began each call with a question she would ask in person: “What are your five-year goals?” She quickly became aware that the pandemic had affected some in a different way than it had affected her. While her work responsibilities increased due to the layoffs, others were faced with the challenge of finding a job while many businesses were closing their doors. For clients experiencing housing instability or previous justice system involvement, conducting a job search was that much harder.
While volunteering during the pandemic, Janice encouraged clients who were feeling discouraged to set short-term, achievable goals that they could talk about during an interview and add to their resume. In addition, she reminded clients they have a lot to offer to a potential employer and plenty of reasons to be proud of themselves. When a client seemed stalled on the task at hand, she would take a pause to compartmentalize and help them take it one step at a time.
CHRYSALIS NIGHT IN
The past two years have brought an array of challenges, leaving many unsure how they could safely help those in need. Though we were unable to join together in person for our annual Butterfly Ball this year, we knew after 2020, there was still a way we could come together to support Chrysalis clients. This past May, we hosted our second Chrysalis Night In event. Over 1,400 guests tuned in for a night of inspiring stories from clients and special appearances from Curtis Stone, Dave Bautista, Eric Dane, Katheryn Winnick, Kit Harington, LL Cool J, Luke Evans, Macy Gray, Marc Cohn, Max Greenfield, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Rachel Zoe, Robert De Niro, Zendaya, and many more.
The 2021 Chrysalis Night In virtual gala honored Bob Hart, President & CEO, TruAmerica Multifamily, Demi Weitz, Co-Creator, RW Quarantunes, and Richard Weitz, Partner, WME & Co-Creator, RWQuarantunes.
Sponsored by Blackstone, CBRE, Greystar, the Johnny Carson Foundation, Kennedy Wilson, NBCUniversal, Netflix, TruAmerica Multifamily & Benedict Canyon Equities, and U.S. Bank and in partnership with our Event Co-Chairs, Chrysalis Night In featured an array of speakers, musical performances, surprise guests, and an RWQuarantunes after party. And together, we raised $1.2 million!
Despite the obstacles we have faced, with the help of supporters like you, Chrysalis was able to continue bringing folks together, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
WHERE WE ARE HEADED
A LOOK AT KEY 2021 OUTCOMES
Achieved (✔) and in Progress (⏳):
✔ Goal: Welcome over 1,300 new clients to our program.
As of July 2021, 1,778 individuals completed assessments with Chrysalis.
✔ Goal: Distribute over $200,000 in COVID relief funds and material needs funds to clients. This amount was reached by May 2021.
✔ Raised $80,000 toward our COVID Response & Recovery campaign.
⏳ Safely and intentionally increase in-person services at our centers and locations across Southern California.
⏳ Train and transition 170 staff members from our Chrysalis Enterprises, Client Services, and Strategy & External Relations teams over to a new Salesforce database.
⏳ Help 1,900 clients secure employment.
⏳ Employ a weekly average of 670 clients in transitional jobs with our employment social enterprise.
⏳ Conclude our current five-year strategic plan.
DEI & SYSTEMS CHANGE
Chrysalis’ mission is to help our clients, the majority of whom are Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Color (BIPOC) and have been impacted by systemic injustices to navigate barriers to the workforce. In 2020, Chrysalis made a public commitment to standing in solidarity with those fighting against racial inequities in the wake of anti-Black violence across the country.
Though our work is centered around direct services, we recognized that we had not just an opportunity but an obligation to advocate for social justice. We knew we could do more for our community and with guidance from Chrysalis staff, we began taking steps to become actively anti-racist within our organization.
Over the past year and a half, we have restructured our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Steering Committee as an action-based group with more decision-making power, created new opportunities for staff to connect with each other and get involved, updated procedures and policies, supported BIPOC-owned businesses, and publicly endorsed a slate of ballot propositions and measures that would impact the lives of those we serve.
While progress is underway, there is still more to be done to support BIPOC communities every day. As we make our way through 2021, we are continuing to hold conversations with community leaders, our supporters, staff, and clients to make tangible change in our workplace culture and in the community beyond our walls.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Live Community Broadcast
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2021
Join Chrysalis President & CEO Mark Loranger and guest speakers for a 30-minute, interactive discussion on policies that affect the workforce landscape and those we serve.
Turkey Trot
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 – SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Gather with family and friends in-person or virtually when you walk, jog, or run from wherever you are in support of our programs and services.
Poker Night
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022
Our annual poker tournament – featuring cocktails, dinner, silent auction, and exclusive prizes for top players and raffle winners.
Butterfly Ball
FALL 2022
Attendees from every sector of entertainment, business, and philanthropy will come together again for our annual gala – details to come!
Virtual & In-Person Tours
ONGOING EACH MONTH
Experience a behind-the-scenes look at our locations and services.
CHANGE LIVES WITH US
Join us today in our commitment to helping individuals get on a pathway to self-sufficiency in one of the following ways:
Your donation ensures that the more than 6,000 clients who will turn to Chrysalis for access to vital resources and support this year will be empowered in their journeys to find and retain employment.
Caring, motivated people are needed to provide virtual one-on-one services to Chrysalis clients. Read some of our volunteer spotlights and consider giving your time to someone today!
Chrysalis has focused on employment for more than three decades, and we can tell you that employers have the opportunity to be great catalysts of change in our communities.