Bridge Club partners with Amazon to provide job opportunities to the formerly incarcerated

LOWELL — The Bridge Club of Greater Lowell is partnering with one of the largest employers in the U.S. to help some of the club’s clients with past involvement in the criminal justice system gain employment and reintegrate into the workforce.

The Bridge Club announced late last month that it had become online retail giant Amazon’s first community partner in the Greater Lowell area to give employment opportunities to those trying to find their way back into society after going through the criminal justice system. The club, through its reentry program, will help its clients apply for jobs at the new 4 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center in North Andover.

“It’s phenomenal timing and a fantastic opportunity for our clients. The new Amazon facility in North Andover is a game-changer, and with starting wages ranging from $18 to $21 an hour, plus immediate benefits for full-time employees, we’re talking about real, impactful change in our client’s lives,” Bridge Club Executive Director Bob Cox said in a March 29 statement.

The partnership comes as Amazon works to staff the new facility, which is about a 25-minute drive away from the Bridge Club. To help its clients, Cox said the club would also be providing one year of transportation for them between the club and the Amazon facility.

“For anyone who needs a chance to really turn their life around, this is the perfect opportunity,” said Cox.

Cox said in an April 18 phone call that the club had been looking around for hiring partners that would accept employees who may not be able to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check. Amazon, now easily the largest company the Bridge Club is partnering with, met those requirements, Cox said.

“They were also really excited that we provide transportation, which is something we have done through our reentry program since 2022,” said Cox. “It will be a big undertaking, but we will certainly rise to the occasion when the opportunity presents itself.”

The Bridge Club has similar partnerships with the local facilities of companies like Spruce Environmental Technologies and cardboard manufacturer WestRock. They also have a memorandum of understanding with MassHire, where clientele of the reentry program also become clients of MassHire.

“So it is a pretty wide array of choices someone is exposed to,” said Cox.

The Bridge Club invites individuals seeking more information or wishing to explore these new employment opportunities to reach out at 978-454-6191 or via email at info@bridgecluboflowell.org.

“In a community where second chances can be hard to come by, this partnership between the Bridge Club of Greater Lowell and Amazon stands as a testament to what can be achieved when organizations unite in support of rehabilitation and renewal. It’s not just about jobs, it’s about restoring hope and dignity to those eager to make a positive change in their lives,” said the club in its statement.