Your Story. Our Morgan County. PacMoore Gives People Second Chances

PacMoore Putting People Before Profits

We live in a challenging world where people are struggling daily with poverty, death, family struggles, addiction, abuse, and the list goes on. Regardless if our problems have been self-inflicted or due to a circumstance out of our control, everyone deserves a second chance.

At PacMoore, men and women coming out of the correctional system, drug rehabilitation programs, etc. are finding work and hope at this manufacturing plant in Mooresville.

“We had a guy who went to church every week and told me about the young men at the Indiana Dream Team (IDT) who needed a job after one year in IDT. He was on the IDT Board and asked me if PacMoore wanted to get involved, and so we did,” said Bill Moore, PacMoore’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). “These IDT guys were some of the best employees we had. They were fantastic workers – committed to the team, grateful for the job and excited for a second chance.”

In the past two years, PacMoore has hired 30 individuals in the “second chance space”, said Linda Johnson, Corporate Human Resources Manager at PacMoore.

According to Bill, they not only work with IDT, but also the Morgan County Community Corrections/Work Release Program, Stability First, and other programs where men and women are coming out of prison or drug rehabilitation.

“We don’t want the publicity for being recognized as heroes. We are people just wanting to help other people,” added Moore.

On the PacMoore website are testimonies (brief video clips) from employees about this company’s authentic commitment to put people first. William Bailey, a PacMoore Spray Dry Operator, can testify that second chances are a reality. William started at PacMoore on September 20, 2016, the day after he was released from the Morgan County Jail and his son’s (Cody) birthday. In 2011, Cody died after a four-year battle with brain cancer. He was only 21 years old.

“I didn’t know how to deal with the pain, so I turned to drugs. The good Lord saw I couldn’t straighten myself out, so he sent two angels dressed liked Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputies to save my life. That was the beginning of my life transformation,” said Bailey.

Although Bailey had a new job, he didn’t have a place to live and was sleeping in a church basement for quite a while. In January 2017, the sixth anniversary of his son’s death, he received a call that he had been approved for an apartment. “I could feel the Spirit of God when I stepped through the doors of PacMoore and I’ve been blessed ever since,” he added.

Bailey gives credit not only to God but also to his fellow PacMoore associates – Adam Rawlins, Al Parrish, Shane Thompson, Kyle Moore, Gary Sinclair and others, for helping him stay on track. “You don’t hear of faith-based companies any more, you know? I’m very thankful and blessed to be a part of it (PacMoore).”

A man of strong faith, Moore believes their call to help others is Scriptural as he relates to Matthew 25: 31-46 where Jesus talked about the separation of sheep from the goats (those who are blessed versus those who are cursed) and their service (or lack of it) – “For when I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…..”

“What do you want to be doing when Jesus returns? You want to be taking care of the people He cares about. We have an opportunity to do that at PacMoore because we have the types of jobs, low and high skilled, these individuals can do well and function in those spaces,” Moore said. “We take this command very seriously.”

From the practical side, there is a low unemployment rate right now, making it challenging to find employees. “Why wouldn’t you want to give people an opportunity – a chance when there is low unemployment? Even if you don’t believe in the spiritual side of it, you can believe in the practical and the practical solution is there are people who need jobs and businesses like us who need employees, so it sounds like a good match to me,” he added.

What they’re discovering as they hire people coming out of the corrections system is that often the root cause for their issues has not been identified and addressed and thus, they continue to make poor choices to deal with their struggles. “Having issues doesn’t mean you’re a bad person,” said Moore. “We want to help them figure out what caused their issues and work through the pain rather than staying in the drugs and alcohol.”

Moore recognized early on in his faith that everyone struggles with something and needs a helping hand from time to time. In 2006, PacMoore hired Chaplains in both the Mooresville and Hammond (IN) plants to work with employees on a more personal level. Now called Life Coaches, these seven individuals are experienced pastors who are highly skilled in counseling individual and family issues. They address all facets of life, not just the spiritual.

“No surprise to admit there are bumps in life when we lament ‘today is hard’ and wonder ‘does anybody care’. At PacMoore we have found that a timely, on-site coach can make all the difference. Our coaches come alongside employees as they navigate through those waters and try to identify a path ahead. We hold the maxim that there is always hope and no one need walk alone. Of course, conversations are always voluntary and confidential,” said Bill McClure, PacMoore’s Lead Coach. “Sometimes employees just need to connect to a good community resource; other times they find value to discuss life goals, action steps, or even a spiritual issue. The magic begins when an employee takes that first step. It soon becomes evident that any life change affects others around them; yes, even among their work colleagues.”

Moore credits these Life Coaches for helping employees overcome difficulties. “These men and women are the best shepherds because they genuinely love people,” said Moore. “Their job is all about rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty because life is messy. There’s no ‘rock star’ mentality. People call them in the middle of the night with problems, and they’re right beside them to help.”

Living and working by a set of values is what sets PacMoore apart. “We live by a set of values, not a set of rules. Strategic plans are rules and they’re meant to be broken. A value system says I’m going to live with these values and whatever God brings, we’re going to use discernment about what to do because we’re using God’s values. We use a value system instead of a plan to drive us ahead which leaves us open and available to deal with whatever comes our way,” added Moore.

According to Moore, Jesus first addressed the immediate needs of a person and then the spiritual. PacMoore tries to follow that example and when they do, they’re able to provide help which often results in healing, life transformations, and greater employees.

Become a life changer today like Bill Moore and his PacMoore team by donating to an Impact Grant or fund through the Community Foundation of Morgan County (CFMC) at www.cfmconline.org/donors. The mission of CFMC is to connect donors and their charitable giving with our evolving community needs in order to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations.