Creating Meaningful Work

At CatSpring Yaupon, our People First Employment Initiative is not a program on paper. It is how we choose to show up for the people who make this work possible.

We believe meaningful employment restores dignity, builds confidence, and creates opportunity. It exists to provide stable, respectful work for individuals who face systemic barriers to employment, including those impacted by the criminal justice system and women navigating generational poverty.

Why People First Matters

The criminal justice system in the United States creates lasting barriers to employment long after a sentence has been served. For many, a single mistake becomes a lifelong obstacle to stability, income, and self-worth.

We believe work can be a turning point.

By offering flexible, dignified employment, we aim to support individuals who want their future to look different from their past. Not with judgment or conditions, but with trust, accountability, and opportunity.

How the People First Initiative Works

Our harvesting and production teams are built with intention. We collaborate directly with probation officers and community partners to identify individuals who are seeking steady work and a fresh start.

The People First initiative is guided by a few core principles:

• Dignity first: Every role is meaningful, fairly compensated, and treated with respect

• Flexibility and support: Schedules are designed to accommodate life circumstances, court requirements, and family needs

• Growth over punishment: We focus on consistency, responsibility, and shared success rather than rigid oversight

This approach allows people to build stability while contributing to work that restores the land and supports the community.

A Culture Rooted in Respect

Our Employment Initiative is not separate from our sustainability work. It is part of the same belief system.

Just as we steward yaupon by working with the land rather than forcing it, we aim to create employment that works with people as they are, not against them.

This philosophy shapes how we lead, how we hire, and how we grow as a company.

Looking Ahead

Our Employment Initiative is an ongoing commitment, not a finished project.

We continue to listen, adapt, and refine how we create opportunity within our organization. Because when people are supported, trusted, and valued, the impact reaches far beyond the workplace. And just like the land we steward, this work is long-term.

To learn more, read this interview our founder, Abianne Falla, had with Vice Impact.