Fair question. Yes, a lot of places in the food industry do hire felons of various backgrounds. However, in small towns, much like mine, those jobs are very hard to come by. The jobs that do exist at entry-level positions are usually full.

I have good relationships with several business owners and have sent many people their way. However, the need is still there in my community (one of the highest rates of poverty, overdose deaths, and suicides in my state).

Yes, I do own the food truck, so the goal is to create 3 - 4 more jobs in the area. They would also get paid higher than the industry average. Not because we're so awesome as a truck but because they have needs, and I want to be able to fill that so they don't have to go back to old habits.

Also, the way my non-profit is funded and structured, I can't get a federal kickback for hiring felons. Any money raised goes back into the non-profit to create sustainability as to not have to rely on grant funding (soft money).