Hi, My name is Ted Alexander 

I work for Cal-Maine Foods  in Groveland Florida. We have at this very moment about 5 Florida inmates that work here through the work release program. There last day of working here and at all other farms that utilize this program buy September 1st 2022. Why because Costco and some people pressuring them feel that they are slaves! They are not slaves and neither was I. Yes, I was part of this program that I wasn't forced into but had to prove myself to get into. I and as far as I know all wanted to get into this program. Why do you ask an inmate would want to work for money aka(paycheck) for the last year of their time. 1.) It gives them the opportunity to pay restitution before getting out " which is one thing less to worry over after being release " 2.) Getting out without being to much a burden on there families and communities. 3.) They also now have spending money for the rest of there remaining time, (again less burden on there families).4.) They also have a mandatory amount put is savings which cannot be touched by the prison for any reason so they are guaranteed they have money when getting out. 5.) They also may have a full time job the very moment they get out and at the very least some employers are more than willing to write letters of recommendation for those that were good workers but choose to move on to a different job.

How does this effect the prison, companies that utilize this program and the communities of Florida as a whole and to the individual communities that inmates go home to. 1.) There is less of a financial burden on the prisons for these inmates because they are required to pay rent. This just doesn't lessen the financial burden of the prison but it prepares the inmates for the responsibilities of life in the free world. 2.) Employer's get labor that they need while at the sametime contributing to the inmates readiness for release into society. They also may get inmates that chose to stay with them as a career as I did with Cal-Maine Foods as a maintenance person making a very good money with medical, retirement benefits and company stocks. 3.) It prepares inmates for some of the responsibilities they will have upon being released,  which is a benefit to the community's they are being released.  Why because they are now in a better position to make it and not end up in prison again. Therefore the community's are safer for this as well. 4.) Less tax burden on the people because these inmates again are paying part of the cost of there incarceration. Which can be put into other beneficial areas of interest to inmates and communities. 

Inconclusion, My fellow inmates are not slaves. We work for the privilege of the work release program. In order to be better prepared and be a less burden to our families and communities. To call us slaves is an injustice to us all. I made the decision to go to work release as did all inmates did. We are not slaves and wish to keep working at Cal-Maine Foods for which Costco is forcing them to terminate inmates on false assumptions that we are slaves to the prison system. 

Thanks for those that support this and took the time to read it.