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It's hard to believe that since our founding in 1997 more than 6,500 people facing the greatest barriers to work have been employed in the thousands of social enterprise jobs that REDF and our nonprofit partners have created.

As we celebrate, however, there are daunting challenges facing the individuals and communities where we do our work. Here in California and around the nation we know how important it is to have a job and that too many of our neighbors have been locked out of the workforce for far too long with little opportunity. In some ways, our work is needed now more than ever. As our founder and Board Chair George R. Roberts reminds us: "If people don't have a job, they don't have hope. If you don't have hope, what do you really have?"

Over the course of this year we will focus in our newsletter on how REDF helps create hope through our core values of Leadership, Impact, and Innovation. We are truly excited to have REDF's founding director and current Advisory Council member, Jed Emerson, lead us off with a reflection. Please enjoy and celebrate with us this year!

Carla I. Javits
President

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Reflections on the Nature of Innovation

by Jed Emerson, Executive Vice President, ImpactAssets

It would seem "innovation" is the "it" word of the day!

We have innovation funds, summits and workbooks. We have awards for social innovators and the assumption that without innovation there is no forward movement, no radical insight, no champion of change.

In truth, innovation is critical to the advancement of our society, organizations and each of us. But the challenge of embracing a call to innovation is that we must first understand what truly is innovative as opposed to simply old toys in shiny new boxes; the challenge of innovation is cultivating our ability to discern the wheat of heralded innovation from the simple chaff of latest enthusiasms.

Read More

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Health and Public Safety

REDF adds to its Board of Directors with new members Chet Hewitt and Mack Jenkins.

Chet P. Hewitt is the President and CEO of the Sierra Health Foundation. When asked what excited him most about joining REDF's Board, Chet said, "I'm motivated by REDF's commitment to focus on those facing serious obstacles to entering the labor market. This work is hard, but worth it." Noting the important role that work has played in his own life, Chet also shared that his first job was working at a YMCA satellite in New York City public housing. Read Chet Hewitt's bio.

Mack Jenkins is the Chief Probation Officer for the County of San Diego. Named "Law Enforcement Official of the Year" by the San Diego County Crime Commission in 2011, Chief Jenkins has more than 33 years of experience in the criminal justice field. As California implements "realignment"—placing more incarcerated individuals in county jails than in state prisons—the County expects their caseload to grow by the thousands, allowing Chief Jenkins to implement innovative programs and partnerships to reduce recidivism. Read Chief Jenkins' bio.

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From REDF's Portfolio

• The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) was recently featured in the New York Times! Read about how their social enterprise is saving society $4,900 for every individual employed.

• Upcoming Events - Community Housing Partnership's A Night With the Stars (April 25, San Francisco); Weingart Center Association's 16th Annual Golf Classic (April 30, Los Angeles); Chrysalis' Butterfly Ball (June 9, Los Angeles); Buckelew Programs Marin/Scapes Art Show (June 29, San Rafael)

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Announcements

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy interviewed REDF and portfolio organization Chrysalis for a feature Who's Behind the Evaluation Curtain published on April 1, 2012. The article discusses the challenges and opportunities facing foundations and other grantmakers engaged in robust evaluations of their impact. Read the article online (subscription to the Chronicle of Philanthropy required).

• Green for All recently released a brief featuring contributions from REDF that provides an introduction to nonprofit social enterprise models and funding sources. Download the publication.

• REDF is hiring! Visit our career page to see the latest job opportunities in our San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

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