The Made Institute Sees Growth In Services For Returning Citizens
Written by: Leon El-Alamin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Review of 2022 Programs and Recognitions. The MADE Institute provides services to individuals returning to Flint, Michigan following incarceration. Flint is the birthplace of General Motors and was the location of the water crisis in 2016 which has dramatically impacted the people who live here. As citizens return to the community, they arrive with “the clothes on their backs” and face a myriad of challenges. MADE assesses each individual and creates a comprehensive case management plan that addresses their unique challenges and circumstances.
Number of Program Participants
Since our inception we have provided job training, transitional housing, access to health programs and a myriad of other support services. In 2022, we ushered in new growth and beginnings as we started to return to more of our pre-pandemic programming. We are proud of the work the MADE Institute was able to do over the last year.
Since 2016, our programs have provided training and services to 1,000 individuals. Programs include our EPIK Life Skills Program, Google Certification and more.
Over 75% of the 2021 EPIK Life Skills Program participants have demonstrated skills in resume writing, job searching, networking, and interviewing.
One new program that was launched last year was a health and wellness education program with Michigan State University. Program participants participated in weekly classes including hands-on cooking classes and health education sessions.
In addition, The MADE Institute had our first cohort complete an energy auditing & weatherization training. The program ran throughout November and provided training opportunities to help our participants secure jobs helping set them on a better path for their future. In addition, we launched a partnership with the City of Flint and Genesee County to continue to work on blight and the rehabilitation of homes in the area. We have been working to clean up the neighborhoods near our transitional homes by rehabbing abandoned homes and taking care of lots which have become overgrown and filled with waste.
2022 Accomplishments and Awards
Other highlights for the 2022 year include having our director Leon El-Alamin receive several awards.
First, he was honored by the Michigan Founder Fund with the Community Trailblazer Award.
He also received the Changemaker of the Year award from the National Clean Water Collective.
We were also honored to have him participate in the 2022 Accelerator Session for REDF in San Francisco. He had a chance to participate in the accelerator employment social enterprise program. The cohort was among the 126 leaders from 34 states that the REDF Accelerator has engaged since launching in 2016. In the coming months, Leon El-Alamin and our program manager, Marsha Thrower, will start a fellowship program with the Enterprise Ventures of Color. We also expanded our marketing through our partnership with VREEL and with Brianz Magazine.
VREEL is a digital networking platform that transforms business cards into a digital format.
Leon will have monthly features in Brianz Magazine regarding MADE's programs.
Overall, 2022 was a year of dramatic growth and increased outreach for The MADE Institute. We are excited to see all the new doors that open in 2023.
Leon El-Alamin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Leon El-Alamin is the founder and Executive Director of the M.A.D.E. Institute, that stands for Money, Attitude, Direction and Education. Growing up on the North Side of Flint, Leon was a good kid who took refuge at his grandmother’s house to escape the challenges he faced at home and out on the streets. After graduating from high school, the allure of earning fast money made Leon start selling cocaine. A few years later, a shootout over a drug turf war landed him in the hospital where he spent a month in a coma. The incident led to his eventual arrest and imprisonment on drug and weapons charges. At the age of 30, Leon was released from prison after serving part of his sentence then founded MADE.
