Apr 16, 2021 Kurt Evans and Muhammed Abdul-Hadi grew up together in Philadelphia and now they’re working together to help those in their community. The men found a way to combine their passion for giving back with their love of pizzas. Last month, they opened a pizza shop, Down North Pizza, which only hires formerly incarcerated men and women. They’ve seen how tough it can be to find employment after leaving prison and having a job is associated with reduced recidivism, which is the likelihood of a former felon to relapse into criminal behavior. So the men offer career opportunities with a fair wage for those previously involved in the justice system as a stepping stone to get back into society. They even offer short-term housing at the apartment above the pizza shop, with six months of free rent so workers can save for the future.