ANCHOR INTRO: NEW TONIGHT - PROVIDING A SECOND CHANCE FOR EX-INMATES! THAT'S WHAT LOCAL STARTUP CROSSROADS SOLAR IS DOING AFTER HOLDING THEIR OFFICIAL OPENING EARLIER TODAY. THE LOCAL MANUFACTURING FACILITY WILL TARGET CLIMATE ISSUES HERE IN SOUTH BEND -- BUT THE BIGGEST INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BUSINESS -- PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FORMER FELONS TO REINTEGRATE THEMSELVES INTO SOCIETY. ABC57’S SAMANTHA JOHNS WAS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY TODAY AND SHE JOINS US FROM THE FACILITY WITH WHAT THEY HOPE TO ACHIEVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SAM?
LOOK LIVE INTRO:
TIM, TIFFANY - COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WORKERS WERE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME THE NEW BUSINESS HERE TODAY THAT PROMISES TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR OUR CITY. PARTNERS FOR THE BUSINESS TELL ME THEY'RE HOPING TO BECOME THE LEADING PANEL OPERATOR HELPING MICHIANA TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE ONE PANEL AT A TIME.
TAKE PKG:
SOT: Noel Townsend, Plant Manager for Crossroads Solar
“In 2010 I made a huge mistake right so I, I at one time I sold cocaine. I went to prison for 8 years, paid my debts to society and I'm here to work."
TRACK 1
NOEL TOWNSEND IS A PLANT MANAGER FOR CROSSROADS SOLAR WHO GRADUATED WITH HIS MBA SEVERAL YEARS AGO -- BUT HE SAYS IT WAS DIFFICULT FINDING A JOB AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON. FOLLOWING HIS ENROLLMENT AT HOLY CROSS HE BEGAN TAKING CLASSES FROM MARTY WHALEN AND PATRICK REGAN, PARTNERS FOR THE LOCAL STARTUP, WHEN HE LEARNED ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR THE BUSINESS --- WHICH HE SAYS HE'S GRATEFUL FOR -- LIKE MANY OF HIS CO-WORKERS.
SOT: Marty Whalen, Partner for Crossroads Solar
“They're bright, they're energetic. They know they've made a mistake so they're excellent employees going forward and so we like our model. We like the opportunity for them to pay back to society a little bit and become productive members of society."
TRACK 2
WHALEN WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THE LAUNCH OF THE BUSINESS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS SAYS THE COMPANY HAS THE GOAL OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY NOT JUST WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THEIR SOLAR PANEL PRODUCTS BUT BY HELPING EX-INMATES RESHAPE THEIR LIVES BY PROVIDING THEM WITH STABLE SALARIES. DESPITE A DIFFICULT LAUNCH FOR THE BUSINESS DUE TO DELAYED PRODUCT DELIVERIES AND PRICE INCREASES HE SAYS IT'S GREAT TO FINALLY SEE HIS HARD WORK COME TO LIFE. (NAT SOUND)
SOT: Marty Whalen, Partner for Crossroads Solar
"We've had supply chain issues like everybody's had. We're navigating those. It's been very very difficult to start a business, especially a social entrepreneurial business during COVID, but we've met the challenges. We have people that are used to meeting challenges."
TRACK 3
AND WHILE THE BUSINESS IS FOCUSING ON PRODUCING SOLAR PANELS FOR BUSINESSES, HOMES, AND RV'S -- TOWNSEND SAYS HE'S EXCITED FOR THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND THEIR OFFERINGS TO EVEN MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THEY BEGIN PRODUCTION.
SOT: Noel Townsend, Plant Manager for Crossroads Solar
"Dealing with new customers, new suppliers. Just the whole gambit of a startup, it excites me and it's fun."
TAG: THE COMPANY IS HOPING TO EXPAND FROM HIRING JUST TWELVE EMPLOYEES TO OVER 100 WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. REPORTING IN SOUTH BEND SAMANTHA JOHNS ABC57NEWS.
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