Edwins restaurant trains former inmates in cooking and hospitality in an attempt to inspire confidence and break the cycle of re-offending
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It’s 9am and there’s a hush in the kitchen of Edwins restaurant on the east side of Cleveland. Apples are stewing gently on the stove, filling the room with unctuous aromatic promises.
Suddenly, the back door bursts open and a tall man with a shock of white hair rushes in dressed in jogging gear. The calm is shattered as Edwins transforms into a vortex of energy that barely ceases until closing time 13 hours later.
Many cities across the US face significant challenges – places like Baltimore, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cleveland are among them. And much has been written about how these former economic powerhouses have struggled over the last few decades.
It was a one-two punch: I was forgiven, then I was mentored and introduced to a high-level skill. I never looked back
Of the more than 650,000 offenders released every year, 68% are rearrested by the end of year three.
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