This is the season to give and a business is giving a man a second chance.
Matt Jones repairs computers at Commonwealth Computer Solutions in Roanoke.
"He's been great since he's been here," says owner Kathryn Bishop, "Very humble, wants a second chance. He'll do things without us asking."
Jones is an intern here. He not only repairs computers, he also goes out on service calls.
"I feel rejuvenated like I haven't been this ambitious in years and I feel like I have a golden opportunity to make the best of everything right now," says Jones.
But it took a lot to get here.
He recently served 20 months in jail for embezzlement. Jones is part of a new program called 'Second Chance Act'.
The program starts in jail. Inmates are screened and then selected for the program. Then they take a 36 week computer class while in jail. They also get certified in jail. The goal is to find internships after they're released.
"I hope that I can be a positive role model for someone coming in and being you know there is no dead end," says Jones.
The groups running the program, TAP and Virginia Cares, say it's difficult to find business owners like Kathryn Bishop who are willing to hire people with a criminal record.
"Everyone's made mistakes you know everybody wants a second chance," says Bishop/
Jones' internship is 20 weeks long. After that Bishop says she hopes to make him a permanent member of her staff.
Commonwealth Computer Services does not pay Jones because he's an intern. Instead Jones is paid through the program which has a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The program is a collaborative effort between Virginia Cares, Virginia Western Community College, and the Western Virginia Regional Jail.
