Pizzeria Serves Up Second Chances in Cleveland

A few years ago, a re-entry program helped Sean get a job. Now he is the general manager of Ohio City Pizzeria, which looks to employ people seeking a path to self-sufficiency.

“Places like this help people get on their feet and stay on their feet,” Sean shares. “And that’s important because when people don’t have chances, they get desperate.”

Video Transcript

Cleveland

Sean Paul: Right. Everyone’s ready. Club soda never came in.

Speaker 2: We don’t have any soda?

(Opening Night)

Sean: I’ll run over to the gas station really quick. Yeah. I have tonic, I have ginger beer. I gotta walk to that gas station, I’ll be right back.

Speaker 3: I’m coming with you.

Sean: Okay.

Speaker 4: Nice to meet you. Do you need anything?

Sean: Club soda, I’ll be right back.

Speaker 4: Oh really?

In 2015, a re-entry program helped Sean get a job. Now he’s the GM at the Ohio City Pizzeria.

Sean: Hopefully they have it.

This Catholic non-profit bought the pizzeria. (It’s on the next block.)

The non-profit provides job training. The pizzeria provides employment.

33% of Cleveland residents live in poverty.

So a lot of the clients that come through the job training program are either coming out of the shelter or still in the shelter, and places like this will help people get on their feet and stay on their feet. And that’s important because when people don’t have chances, they get desperate.

People that had been down and out and people that don’t have anything going for them right now — I know how they are, because I’ve been in that position before.

Okay, all right. So they’re working on them now. So a Bellini is a cocktail.

Speaker 5: Yeah, I know that.

Sean: It’s one of our specialty drinks. 

So did you ring him in?

…wants to meet with you this week so we can start building up some trust. 

I think we’re going to go through stuff tonight.

We’re supposed to have two fours and a two. Everyone’s starting to get to know each other. Everybody’s working well together. It’s coming together nicely. It’s got a good feel for it. I’ve got a lot of good expectations for how things are going to work out.

In 2014, I was sentenced to a year in prison. I was given a second chance in my past, and I’m really happy to be here because I can help people get that second chance that they deserve too, because everybody deserves a second chance.

No, you’re good.

Speaker 6: Are you ready?

Speaker 7: One, two, three.

Crowd: Woo hoo.

Speaker 7: We’ll work on that.