Fresno Mayor Alan Autry and Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer called a press conference today, to announce a major donation to the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Initiative and to highlight a local business that is leading the way to ending gang violence by giving ex-gang members a “hand-up” and not a “hand-out.”
Electronic Recyclers Chairman and CEO, John S. Shegerian delivered a donation check of $25,000 to the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Initiative and discussed his company’s successful practice of hiring ex-convicts and ex-gang members. Currently, 50 ex-convicts including 25 ex-gang members are employed at Electronic Recyclers.
Since its inception in August of 2006, nearly 2000 clients have been referred to the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Initiative with nearly 600 clients receiving services such as tattoo removal, job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling and education services.
“We are proud to support the Mayor and Police Chief of Fresno and their gang prevention efforts,” said Shegerian. “We can lead the nation in recycling electronics and we now can also help lead the nation into recycling lives. We’re extremely proud of the employees we have who have turned their lives around and we encourage other businesses to follow suit.”