Stephanie Martin (MS ’16) had $125 and an endless supply of faith and passion when she opened A Chance Re-Employment and Training Agency. That sounds like an imbalance of assets, but it all depends on what you value.
“I’ve seen the difference in people’s lives when things change after they’ve always been told they couldn’t or wouldn’t be something,” Martin said. “It was because of their background or ethnicity or a language barrier or that kind of thing. Having the ability to be able to assist them and show people how to change how they’re being seen is the best feeling in the world.”
Martin was a state of Indiana reemployment coordinator when the idea to start her own reemployment agency came to mind.
The impetus goes directly back to her faith.
“Working in the unemployment office, I saw a void for people coming in who were not being assisted and were not feeling a sense of worthiness,” she said. “I sat at my desk and prayed, ‘God, what do you want me to do for your people?’ He came up with this. I didn’t have any schooling in this. I Googled how to start a staffing agency.”
Martin earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Healthcare Administration from USF. She started A Chance Re-Employment (ACRE) with business partner Perry Laster in 2018, and the company has placed nearly 350 people in jobs since then. Martin also teamed with Laster in developing a transitional living home for women coming out of incarceration and a transportation company for people needing rides back and forth from work.
“We are faith-based and following what God leads us to do to serve his people,” Martin said.
One of Martin’s first clients, Rochelle Ulanowicz, will never forget how Martin helped her when she was unexpectedly unemployed. Martin connected Ulanowicz to a non-profit, which eventually led to a job with the City of Fort Wayne.
“She gives people a second chance,” Ulanowicz said. “She cares about people and she’s in your corner to help you get into a better situation. She helps you get your power back.”
The COVID-19 pandemic struck hard at A Chance Re-Employment as it did many small businesses, as job opportunities became scarcer.
“It has been difficult for small businesses trying to make a difference in your community,” Martin said. “A lot of companies are hesitant to take new employees and we were not able to place people like we needed to, due to COVID-19. I have prayed and I know God will provide. He provided before and he’ll provide again.”
Originally from Los Angeles, Martin grew up in Fort Wayne and graduated from Paul Harding High School. She earned bachelor’s degrees in speech and communication and gerontology from Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne, with minors in Spanish and psychology.
She earned two master’s degrees from USF with the hope she could help people in special need of finding ways to get the healthcare they deserve. While that wasn’t the route she followed, the idea of helping others remains at the forefront.
As its website explains, ACRE’s mission is to assist candidates who have barriers due to their criminal history and/or a disability receive the workplace training needed to regain suitable and sustainable employment.
“There are other placement agencies, but they are not really focused on the population I serve,” Martin said. “We work with a lot of major corporations and with individuals who have occupational barriers to employment.”
Her businesses are lean, with few employees and long hours for Martin. She chose USF for her master’s degrees because of its prestige and emphasis on Franciscan values, and she carries those values with her.
“All I know is hard work and being able to serve people,” Martin said. “That’s all I’ve ever done. Saint Francis was a starting point for me to see how important it is being a community leader. I try to remain focused on God’s provision in my life and being able to serve his people.”
Martin values faith. She values service. She values people. And she puts her money—and her faith—to work.