Tim Tebow signs multi-year agreement, partners with second-chance Cincinnati manufacturer

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Ohio releases nearly 416,000 men and women from its prisons and jails each year, according to the prison policy initiative.

Many of those released look for second chances, but often times they can't find it. Now, a Cincinnati-based company has made it its mission to deliver those kinds of opportunities. It even got some star power on board to help further the brand.

Tim Tebow is a name and face synonymous with football and faith. But now, his new play is to partner with a second-chance company based out of Cincinnati.

In a promotional video, Tebow said, "Nehemiah Manufacturing is a special place. When we got the opportunity and privilege to go for the first time, that’s what really caught our eye and our heart.”

Nehemiah Manufacturing in Lower Price Hill is one of the country’s largest and most successful second-change employers. Nearly 70% of the 250 workers have a criminal record with the annual turnover rate being 15%. This number is well below the average of almost 40%.

Kristen Schumacher and her dad, Dan Meyer, who founded Nehemiah in 2009, partnered with Tim Tebow and his wife Demi to ignite the story of second chances and build brands like Downy and Tide.

“Tim and Demi have global scale and impact," said Schumacher. “Tim is very healthy, he's KETO, and so we initially came to Tim and asked him to invest in our business. Unfortunately, we shut the doors on that company. But Tim said something to me, he said we invest in people first”

“Meeting the people, hearing their stories, and also seeing the way they were treated. When we saw that we thought, 'This is something we want to be a part of,'" said Tebow.

The Tebows signed a multi-year agreement to be part of the Nehemiah family. The company motto is building brands, creating jobs, and changing lives.

If you would like to see what products Nehemiah makes or learn more on how to support second-chance workers, click here.