Down North Pizza owner Muhammad Abdul-Hadi is working to make a difference in the area by hiring exclusively formerly incarcerated men and women.
“I was into real estate and I had property in this particular area,” Abdul-Hadi told Newsweek. “I wanted to do something for the area.”
He said he developed the concept in 2018 and took the time to work through any difficulties that came his way.
Through hard work and building a routine, Down North Pizza opened its doors to the public and offered a new opportunity to those formerly incarcerated.
Down North executive chef Mike Carter is on parole. He told KBZK Bozeman that it’s difficult to put his past behind him because of the system.
“A lot of people seem to think the dictionary definition of recidivism, which means commit another crime and get sent back to jail,” Carter said. “No, I can basically get a better job tomorrow and not tell my PO [parole officer], and they can violate me and put me back upstate.”
Many formerly incarcerated individuals face a number of challenges when returning to life outside of jail. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, homelessness, unemployment and poverty are some of the major obstacles faced by those who were once incarcerated.
The Initiative also noted that the jobs that are filled by formerly incarcerated people are often the most insecure and lowest-paying positions. And because many individuals are either working in a low-paying job or are unemployed, finding a place to live is another obstacle to overcome.
In addition to a job, Abdul-Hadi provides housing on top of the pizzeria to those who need it at no expense for six months. The Initiative reported that rates of homelessness are especially high among people who have been incarcerated more than once, people recently released from prison and people of color and women.
For those who are released, a second chance is what they need to turn their lives around.
“They’re some of the best employees I’ve worked with,” Abdul-Hadi said. “They’re the opposite of what people expect of them.”
President Joe Biden recently recognized the importance of offering a second chance. He declared April 2021 as Second Chance Month, pointing to the need for opportunities for formerly incarcerated men and women.
“After incarcerated individuals serve their time, they should have the opportunity to fully reintegrate into society,” a release read. “It benefits not just those individuals but all of society, and it is the best strategy to reduce recidivism.”
Abdul-Hadi has plans to grow this initiative and believes it will serve as a benefit to end the cycle of recidivism.
“If they aren’t given second chances, they’ll end up back in prison,” he said. “If we want to imagine a society in a different light, we have to offer a plethora of resources. That’s the key to ending the cycle.”
