VERC Rewarded for Hiring Re-Entry Candidates

DUXBURY, Mass. -- VERC Enterprises was recently recognized for outstanding leadership for its hiring of candidates who have gone through the Massachusetts Re-entry Program.

Massachusetts Rep. Eugene L. O'Flaherty (D-Chelsea) presented an award to VERC Enterprises President Leo Vercollone during an Aug. 14 ceremony held at Bunker Hill Community College.

"We are honored to receive this award. Far too often, people coming out of prison and back into society face hurdles finding work, with the sad end result being a return to incarceration due to lack of opportunity," Vercollone said. "The Re-entry Program, working in conjunction with businesses, seeks to turn that scenario around. The program provides careful screening regarding both rehabilitation and skill set, making the transition from formerly incarcerated to currently employed a straightforward one."

Through the Massachusetts Department of Career Services, the program recognizes the importance of building self-worth and instilling dignity by helping to find meaningful work for formerly incarcerated individuals, a sentiment that VERC Enterprises has taken to heart. Over the past three years, the company hired 25 individuals who have undergone the program. Presently, VERC employs eight people from the program.

VERC Enterprises is a family-run chain of convenience stores and gas stations throughout eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The firm has more than 230 employees and is a leader in hiring those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 2011, VERC Enterprises was recognized by the Boston Business Journal as a Best Place to Work in Massachusetts and as a Leader in Diversity. In 2011 and 2012, the company was recognized by the Boston Globe as a Best Place to Work in Massachusetts.