Awake Window & Door Co. Gives Previously Incarcerated Individuals a Second Chance
Awake Window & Door Co. is a U.S.-based luxury manufacturer of minimal‑frame aluminum windows and doors, designed and built in Gilbert, Arizona. Rooted in a social mission, Awake hires a growing number of individuals who have been previously incarcerated, partnering with nonprofits to offer second-chance careers.
While not exclusively hiring formerly incarcerated people, Awake's culture deeply embraces this mission. More than half of Awake Window & Door Co.'s roughly 100 employees are part of the second-chance workforce.
Why this is important
According to statistics from the Vera Institute of Justice, the United States is home to 4% of the world's population, yet 16% of all incarcerated people in the world. According to the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, one of the biggest issues contributing to the high recidivism rate in the U.S. is that companies are unwilling to hire people with a criminal record.
One of Awake's Co-Founders and Chief People Officer Maria Gates was very passionate about trying to stop the injustice and discriminatory practices that formerly incarcerated individuals face when trying to get a permanent job as they re-enter society. That's how this mission started.
"She took the three of us, her fellow co-founders, on a journey with her through books and podcasts that helped break our hearts for this group of people and inspire us to try and help," says Awake Window & Door Co. CEO Scott Gates. "Some of the statistics hit me very hard, especially the fact that 50% of people who leave prison end up back within five years, primarily because they are unable to find a job."
Gates adds that the executive leadership team wanted to try and help be a solution. They were all committed to creating a mission to provide meaningful employment for those who had been impacted by the justice system.
"Rather than simply being a company willing to consider formerly incarcerated individuals, we would instead be a company that was started with the primary purpose of being a place where they could belong, they could thrive, and they could turn their lives around," says Gates.
What second-chance employees say
"I served four and a half years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, and prior to that, I had very little work experience," says Dakota, a second-chance hire at Awake Window & Door Co. "When I was released in 2022, I was uncertain about where I would find work or what the future held for me. I discovered Awake through a local employment agency and decided to give it a try. I have now been with Awake for nearly three years, and they have provided me with the tools I need to lead a successful life and become a productive member of society. Without the opportunity that Awake offered me, I wouldn’t have developed the skills necessary to be successful and live a meaningful life."
