INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — An Indianapolis woman is working to honor her late son’s memory by creating opportunities for those in need.
Holly Moore’s son, Donavan Barnett, 18, was shot and killed in May 2020.
Moore said her son and other family members had spent time in prison, and she knows how hard it can be for those who are released to find a job and create a new beginning for themselves. That’s why she is working to build businesses that hire ex-convicts.
“A lot of people don’t have the support that Donavan had. A lot of people that are incarcerated, they get out and they can’t find jobs. They can’t find a place to live, so I feel like it is time for someone to make a change,” Moore said.
She says without the proper resources and opportunities people can easily fall back into the same cycle. She’s hoping to break that and says creating opportunities like this needs to be a community effort.
“When people are released, what they go through, we go through it with them. I say that because when they can't find work and they commit a crime it affects us. If they break into your house that's going to affect you, so to keep acting like you don't care or it's not your problem…it is your problem. We have to be part of the solution because if you're not part of the solution we're all gonna fail.”
Moore has a barber and beauty shop she started with her son as well as a brand new cleaning/janitorial business. So far, she’s been able to hire at least three ex-felons.
Moore said Barnett always wanted to give back to the community so this is her way to honor him.
For more information or to apply for a job with her cleaning business, Elite Cleaning Professionals, you can visit their Facebook page here.
This story was originally published by Megan Sanctorum at WRTV.
