Elpis Enterprises for more than 20 years has been operating social enterprises with the explicit purpose of providing employment to young people between 16 and 23 years of age experiencing unstable housing. Purchasing our products provides an opportunity for trainees at Elpis to build skills, experiences, and connections.

Our social enterprises include:
• A customized imprint enterprise. Products include screen-printed or embroidered t-shirts and other apparel, tote bags, traveling coffee cups, and similar branding items. Associated career exploration paths for trainees include automation, graphic design, e-commerce, shipping and receiving, and production.
• Our manufacturing enterprise. In addition to our products (primarily bird feeders and nesting boxes from donated recycled fencing, as well as Adirondack chairs), we also build products to the specifications of other businesses (e.g. cedar flower boxes for a florist). Associated career exploration paths include manufacturing, construction, and other trades, shipping and receiving, and e-commerce.
• Our community-based experiential workshops (facilitated by trainees) include build-it-yourself bird feeders and nesting boxes. Perfect for youth, families, or as team-building events. Associated career exploration paths include teaching/youth work, as well as production.

Our typical trainee has faced unimaginable poverty and hardship. Most have never had a support system to guide them. Without skills, experiences, and connections, most are simply scraping to get by on their own, with no one in their corner to help. With an emphasis on employment readiness training and career pathway building support, Elpis is designed to break that cycle of moving from one entry-level position to another entry-level position with no advancement potential.

Our trainees say it best:
-“Elpis has opened my eyes to new experiences and now I have goals for myself I didn’t have before”.
-“Even in tough situations, I have learned things that I needed to learn, how to get through. So yes, Elpis has impacted me.”

Each young person we work with is required to complete a 12 to 16 week (240 hours at minimum) training within our social enterprises. They also work with our career counselor (typically 40 to 50 hours over the 12 to 16 weeks) and have the opportunity to earn recognized certifications (e.g. OSHA 10). Each trainee is paid for 20 hours a week above minimum wage whether working in our enterprises, working with our career counselor, or working on earning a certificate.