PRIDE is a non-profit, public-private partnership that provides inmates with vocational and on-the-job training that can lead to full-time employment upon release, and provides job placement and support services for ex-offenders after a period of incarceration. PRIDE has approximately 250 employees and trains about 4,000 inmates a year.

"This is extremely rewarding for us as it inspires us to continue our programs that help to create stability and purpose in the lives of ex-offenders and their families," said Jack Edgemon, president of PRIDE.

This year, PRIDE celebrates its 30th anniversary of fulfilling its original mission to efficiently manage prison industries, independent from the state government. This mission, as envisioned by Jack Eckerd so many years ago, was driven into legislation in 1981 and has resulted in the successful transition of hundreds of inmate workers into Florida's workforce. The programs also continue to provide services to its graduates, such as intensive case management, job placement, transportation, and housing needs after they have re-entered their communities across the State. PRIDE manages work programs for the Department of Corrections and operates them as free enterprise businesses without any funding from the state.

"This program really turned my life around," said Kent Huggins, program honoree. "It's a social and cultural program that works."

"More importantly," says program honoree Scott Ingram, "I think that PRIDE is fundamental in keeping the recidivism rate low. The program gets us working and focused on something that drives us and makes us successful."

Representative Dennis Baxley, former Speaker Pro Temp of the Florida House of Representatives, was the key note speaker for the night and accompanied members of PRIDE's Board of Directors, and many of PRIDE's community partners and employment providers who were also in attendance.

PRIDE is a member of the group which brings together service providers and community organizations to work together to facilitate the successful transition of ex-offenders into Hillsborough County.

The speaker was Jim Previtera from the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Department and Director of the H-REC, Hillsborough Re-Entry Center. PRIDE has been working with center staff to develop procedures and operations to register PRIDE program participants with services offered by the center.

PRIDE Seating and Systems has won numerous industry awards including New Chair Development, Custom Made Woodworking and Refurbishing Networking.

PRIDE inmate workers are trained in 50 certified programs including Computer Assisted Design Drafting (CADD), Wood Fabrication, Wood Milling, Industrial Machinery Operation, Woodworking and Welding, Fabric Layout, Sewing, Upholstering and Assembly, Furniture Refurbishing, Furniture Assembly, Finishing, Powder Coating, Inventory Management, Quality Control, Administrative Assistant, Shipping and Receiving.

Discussion was led by a participant who had been assigned to PRIDE Graphics. The Council meets bi-monthly with a different Transition Team member as host at each. 

The Transition Team has been assisting a new service provider in Tampa with the establishment of affordable temporary housing for PRIDE program participants. Following a meeting with the landlords, the Transition Team traveled to East Tampa to visit with staff at the Hillsborough Re-Entry Center. The H-REC is housed in buildings provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff and acts as a portal of entry for offenders returning to the county from Polk C.I. PRIDE staff works at the center to conduct intake of former PRIDE workers into its Transition Program when advised by Polk or H-REC staff of the impending release of a former PRIDE worker.