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In Washington D.C., of people with criminal records are rearrested within five years of their release. Ready, Willing and Working (RWW) wants to tackle that problem. This program is dedicated to reducing criminal recidivism and homelessness by providing formerly incarcerated and unhoused individuals with jobs and support.

Brosmer, president of the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District (BID) and founder of RWW said the community resisted the concept at first.

“There was a 聽lot of resistance to that element,” Brosmer said. “I’d seen it work in New York and my board was really courageous in letting me bring the program to Washington.”

In doing so, the program has proven to be largely聽. 70% of participants in the program “remain employed, independently housed and drug-free after three years of entering the program.”

Founded in 2013, Ready, Willing and Working is modeled after the Doe Fund鈥檚 New聽York initiative, . The program鈥檚 goal is to help individuals聽escape cycles of homelessness, relapse and welfare dependency in what聽the RWW calls a 鈥減aid-work rehabilitation program.鈥�

Brosmer said聽that New York provided them with the 鈥渕agic formula鈥� for what was聽needed in founding this program.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 to provide a loving environment for these guys; one where they feel聽safe and cared for and aren鈥檛 afraid to be part of mainstream society,鈥� Brosmer said.

Pushing a Bucket

Andrew Lee began pushing a bucket. After years of being in and out of jail, he decided聽that RWW was a way to kickstart his life again.

At first, he said he had a 90-day plan to get himself back to working in the hotel聽industry, but after the RWW surprised him on his birthday with lunch, he wanted to聽give the program more of a chance.

鈥淭hat changed my mindset that day. I said, 鈥榳ell, wait a minute. This is a pretty good聽thing. Let me stick around and finish this and see where it goes,鈥欌�� Lee said.

Now, Lee serves as the Vice President of Ready, Willing and Working.

鈥淭here is a light at the end of the tunnel,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had guys come in here with prison mentality, and now, they鈥檙e happy, productive citizens. We are not here to judge. They鈥檝e had enough judgment in the past standing in front of a judge.鈥�

He said a lot of people who have been incarcerated use that as an 鈥渆xcuse鈥� when it聽comes to the difficulty of getting a job.

鈥淭he overall mentality of the prison population is 鈥榠t鈥檚 over now. I have a record. I can鈥檛聽do anything but be a criminal the rest of my life,鈥欌�� Lee said.聽

Lee said finding a job after incarceration is not as hard as people make it out to be. He said that men with RWW have gone on to start their own businesses and become property owners.

鈥淚 understand how you have mixed emotions because at some point you start saying, 鈥榳ell I can鈥檛 buy a house pushing a bucket,鈥� and in reality, you can,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got guys on my team who have bought houses, so it can be done, but you just got to have the mindset to do it.鈥�

The Men in Blue

The RWW has 鈥淐lean Teams鈥� who, under the guise of BID, go around the聽neighborhood cleaning public spaces.聽

鈥淏efore the team, before the BID started, you would consider Capitol Hill dirty and聽dangerous,鈥� Brosmer said. 鈥淥ur BID services are meant to supplement, not replace,聽what the city does. It just enhances what they can do.鈥�

However, during the early days of the program, Brosmer said there was pushback from聽the community because they didn鈥檛 like the idea of having 鈥渦ndesirables鈥� as a labor force. But, leaders on the Capitol Hill board gave them a chance.

鈥淚 think it just takes time,鈥� Brosmer said. 鈥淚 was frustrated the first few years where I聽was really trying to shove it down the city鈥檚 throat, you know, this is the best thing ever,聽but I learned that we have to prove the product and I believe we really have.鈥�

Over the years, the community has taken to the idea of Ready, Willing and Working聽beautifying DC neighborhoods like Capitol Hill. McKenna Pugh, marketing director for聽RWW said people have started recognizing the Clean Teams calling them the 鈥淢en in聽Blue.鈥� She said that they continue to have positive interactions with the community聽during events like the Capitol Hill Community Fourth of July Parade, where they march聽every year.

鈥淭he Men in Blue come behind us and everyone screams and is clapping and is so聽happy,鈥� Pugh said. 鈥淲e get letters and emails from people about how grateful they are聽to see them around and have them help out.鈥�

RWW employs primarily men, but two out of their 60 employees are currently women.聽They have seven contracts in DC, including Capitol Hill, Mount Vernon Triangle,聽Adams Morgan, Capitol Riverfront, Barracks Row Main Street, Pennsylvania聽Avenue East and Mid City.

Pugh said that the Men in Blue are doing more than just pushing buckets and cleaning聽the streets.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e helping people clear their sidewalks when it snows and if they see someone聽carrying something heavy, they鈥檙e going to help them,鈥� Pugh said. 鈥淭hey have made such a positive impact on the community and people know who they are and really appreciate them.鈥�

Magic & Miracles

As a non-profit organization, the RWW relies on donations and outside funding for its projects. Monday, Oct. 25 thru Wednesday, Oct. 27, Ready, Willing and Working聽will be hosting their .

This free virtual event hosted over three days will consist of a and a video聽presentation to honor the 鈥淢en in Blue.鈥� Auction items will include artwork from local聽artists, a children鈥檚 birthday party package, vacations to tropical destinations and gift聽肠别谤迟颈蹿颈肠补迟别蝉.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool this year too because we have so many vacations and gift certificates,聽people from all over the country are able to bid and participate,鈥� Pugh said.

The Gala will also document the launch of Work Works America. This organization聽will also follow along the New York Ready, Willing and Able model to create a聽national approach to the work that Ready, Willing and Working does.

鈥淲e鈥檙e working together to build sort of a roadmap for other cities across the country to聽replicate,鈥� Brosmer said. 鈥淵ou get people all the time saying 鈥榶ou know what this is a聽great idea, we can use that in our city鈥� and what we want to try to do is make it less聽scary and a little easier for them to replicate.鈥�

Ready, Willing and Working also host a GED program, where employees can take聽classes to earn their GED. In 2019, they hosted a graduation ceremony for men who聽had completed the program. Brosmer said that the pandemic put a halt on the GED聽program, but hope to get it back up and running soon.

Brosmer said RWW鈥檚 biggest goal is to help people 鈥渞ealize their own life dreams.鈥�

鈥淪ome of our guys have been with us for 10 to 12 years and this is the most聽comfortable life they鈥檝e ever had,鈥� Brosmer said. 鈥淲e鈥檇 like, from the beginning, like聽to say you can come work for us. We鈥檒l give you all the skills you need and then, go off聽and make room for somebody else to have that opportunity.鈥�