“We are a nonprofit social enterprise centered on a craft grilled cheese restaurant and professional development institute that invests in the minds and lives of formerly incarcerated individuals. Our mission is to ensure that those impacted by the criminal justice system have the support and opportunities they need not simply to subsist but, more importantly, to become our country’s future leaders, business owners, legal practitioners, and entrepreneurs.”
A criminal record can be a barrier to employment, housing, benefits, and voting, and with such barriers there is a high rate of recidivism. One study found that 67.8% of released prisoners were rearrested within three years of release - but a local restaurant is aiming to change this. All Square, located in South Minneapolis, is founded on the idea that all individuals deserve to be judged on their merit, not their mistakes. All Square believes that those who have paid their debts to society are ALL SQUARE. All Square was created by and is run by individuals who have been impacted by the justice system and those who have criminal law expertise; it is committed to creating a re-entry program that is shaped in collaboration who know first-hand the barriers and trauma of post-incarceration. The focus of All Square’s restaurant? Picture this...grilled cheese with brie, swiss, thinly sliced apples, caramel, and crunchy pecans? Or maybe a grilled cheese with swiss, provolone, and roasted jerk chicken with a sweet layer of guava jam? We dare you not to drool.
Reducing recidivism and generating leaders one grilled cheese at a time.
In addition to being a restaurant, All Square creates 12-month fellowships to invest in the minds, lives, and professional pursuits of the formerly incarcerated fellows who work at All Square. The curriculum is customized to each fellow’s level of education, interests, and opportunities, and is aimed at creating programming to ensure that fellows’ dreams are realized. Not only does a fellowship at All Square provide a foundation for work in entrepreneurship or law, but it also educates fellows about personal finance, wellness, provides weekly therapy, and hosts weekly restorative circles for fellows, leadership, and community members. All Square has big dreams and is founded on putting the person first. But don’t take our word for it, learn more from BBC, Fast Company, MPR, and Social Entrepreneur.
Neon Lights and Civil Rights
All Square Minneapolis
4047 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis MN
Wednesday to Sunday, 11am - 8pm
https://www.allsquarempls.com/
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