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Securus Technologies Seeks to Support Incarcerated Individuals in Reshaping their Futures With Expanded Access to Educational Programs Available Through Tablet Technology

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Spending time on education and skill-building while incarcerated promotes stronger re-entry outcomes

DALLAS, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Over the past five years, Securus Technologies has expanded opportunities for incarcerated individuals to access and benefit from education resources that promote stronger reentry outcomes. As an Aventiv Technologies company and the leading provider of connections between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones, Securus offers free and premium access to educational, vocational, and rehabilitative curricula. The company also enables connections to scholarships and mentorship through ScholarCHIPS, a nonprofit supporting children of incarcerated parents. By investing more than $600 million to deploy technology, including 600,000 tablets in correctional facilities nationwide, Securus aims to close the education gap affecting justice-impacted families.

According to the Prison Policy Institute, formerly incarcerated individuals are nearly twice as likely to lack a high school credential and eight times less likely to complete college than the general public. Yet, according to the Vera Institute, incarcerated individuals who participate in educational programs are 52 percent more likely to remain in their communities, demonstrating that education is a critical factor in breaking the cycle of recidivism.

“Technology offers a scaled solution to connect incarcerated individuals to educational and job training resources that help break the recidivism cycle,” said Kevin Elder, President, Securus Technologies. “More than 600,000 Securus tablets available in corrections facilities nationwide offer free and premium content that encourage learning and skill building. Our offerings from 22 colleges and universities have connected more than 17,000 incarcerated learners to post-secondary education equating to more than 300,000 credit hours, positively impacting the trajectory of their own lives, and those of their families and communities.”

Securus remains committed to using technology to help bridge the digital divide, connecting justice-impacted individuals to high-quality content and resources, to help them plan their path to reentry starting on day one:

With Edovo, a tech nonprofit providing free educational and vocational curricula, Securus connects incarcerated learners to free skill-building programs via a cloud-based platform. To date, using Securus devices, Edovo has delivered over 3.27 million educational hours to more than 500,000 incarcerated individuals in more than 550 corrections facilities nationwideSecurus has a partnership with Essential Education, a platform that provides incarcerated individuals access to premium education and reentry programming, including GED prep, HiSET prep, computer competency, and financial literacy, among other offerings. The platform brings flexibility for self-paced, adaptive lessons to corrections tablets, supplementing classroom-specific instruction. More than 2,700 students have accessed Essential Education on Securus devices, logging 400 plus study hours in preparation for a high school equivalency examVia a partnership with JSTOR, a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources, incarcerated individuals in the Florida Department of Corrections can access a digital academic research library, providing access to millions of journal articles, books, and images, spanning hundreds of disciplines at no cost. JSTOR is coming to Securus tablets in the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Re-EntryIn May 2024, Securus partnered with Tooling U, a workforce development organization that produces software, certifications, and content for the manufacturing industry for free for incarcerated individuals. To date, 21 students completed the program, of which,12 earned their Certified Manufacturing Associate’s certification and eight returned home to secure employment

Securus recognizes that the education gap affects more than just those within correctional facilities. Nationally, 2.7 million children—about the population of Mississippi—have an incarcerated parent. These children may encounter barriers to academic success, including higher rates of special education placement, reduced school retention, and increased delinquency. Securus’s partnership with ScholarCHIPS, a nonprofit providing scholarships and mentorship to children of incarcerated parents, can help correct this critical challenge by connecting youth impacted by the justice system to resources that allow them to pursue their education.

“All too often, the children of incarcerated individuals face significant challenges in pursuing their academic and career dreams, reducing their chance to create change within themselves, their families, and their communities,” said Yasmine Arrington Brooks, Founder and Executive Director of ScholarCHIPS. “Growing up as a justice-impacted individual, I searched for ways to bridge the financial gap so I could complete my college education and then founded ScholarCHIPS to provide justice-impacted youth with opportunities to pursue higher education and break out of cycles of poverty and incarceration.”

Since its inception, ScholarCHIPS has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to 100 young people, including more than 2,500 hours of mentorship. To date, ScholarCHIPS has seen 45 scholars through to college graduation, and ninety percent of scholars are on track to graduate from college within the next five years. In 2024, Securus made the ScholarCHIPS application and award process available across its 600,000 tablets nationwide, resulting in a 900 percent increase in scholarship applications across 27 states. As a result of this work, ScholarCHIPS has been selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences as a finalist for The Anthem Awards in several categories.

“National Education Month is a time to celebrate the power of learning, recognizing children of incarcerated parents can face entirely different obstacles when navigating the educational system,” said Anye Young, a ScholarCHIPS recipient and current Community Engagement Intern at Aventiv. “Thanks to ScholarCHIPS, I attended the University of Southern California, earned my degree, and now work for Aventiv in a community engagement role where I am helping identify programming and partnerships that allow justice-impacted families to feel supported, connected, and empowered.”

Education provides incarcerated individuals with hope and purpose. Securus is committed to expanding access to education across correctional facilities nationwide, so incarcerated individuals have the opportunity and tools to succeed.

About Securus Technologies
Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Securus Technologies® (Securus) is an Aventiv Technologies company that serves more than 1,800 public safety, law enforcement, and corrections agencies as well as over 1,000,000 incarcerated individuals across North America. Founded in 1986, Securus offers innovative solutions like phone and video connections and e-messaging, which connect family and friends to their incarcerated loved ones. Their secure monitoring and investigative solutions aid law enforcement and correctional facility staff in their operations and efforts to maintain public safety in communities nationwide. As the pioneers of tablet technology, Securus introduced the first corrections-grade tablet in 2011, revolutionizing how communication, entertainment, reentry, and educational resources are deployed in complex corrections environments, elevating efficiency in operations and stronger reentry outcomes. For more information, please visit https://www.aventiv.com/securus-technologies/ or follow us on social media on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.

About Edovo
At Edovo, we are committed to making a real difference in the lives of incarcerated individuals. We believe that education is a powerful tool for transformation, and we have seen firsthand how our programming can help incarcerated learners build skills, improve their outlook, and prepare for a successful reentry into society. Our story began in 2012 when our founder, Brian Hill, recognized a need for better educational opportunities in correctional facilities. Since then, we have grown from a small startup to a national leader within correctional education and rehabilitation, establishing partnerships with some of the most respected organizations in the field of corrections, education and rehabilitation while serving hundreds of correctional facilities and tens of thousands of incarcerated learners across the country. To learn more about Edovo, please visit us here: https://www.edovo.org/

About Essential Education
Since 2002, Essential Education has empowered over 4.5 million adults to achieve their life goals through their award-winning online learning system and print materials. Their innovative solutions have revolutionized adult education by providing an array of programs that cater to the diverse needs of adult learners. From comprehensive low-level adult basic education to high school equivalency test preparation and essential workforce readiness skills, they have reshaped the landscape of adult education. Their programs are thoughtfully designed to assist educators in achieving their desired success, offering a guided pathway for each student that seamlessly supports both traditional classrooms and virtual learning environments.

About ScholarCHIPS
ScholarCHIPS, Inc. is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that provides college scholarships, mentoring, and peer support to children of incarcerated parents, inspiring them to complete their college education. To learn more, visit https://www.scholarchipsfund.org/, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Securus Technologies

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Cineverse Podcast Network Expands with Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush Audio Series, and New True Crime Show Creepy Places

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New Shows Join Top-10 Podcast Network as it Celebrates Record Growth Driven by Popular Horror Lineup Under the BloodyFM Sub-brand

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cineverse Podcast Network, the audio division of next-gen entertainment studio Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS), has today announced a major expansion that goes well beyond its horror roots. Now home to popular entertainment, true crime and horror podcasts, the Cineverse Podcast Network is well-positioned to build upon its recent success.

In fact, Cineverse has grown its podcast revenue 98% during the fiscal quarter that ended Sept. 30 year over year and 60% from the previous quarter. The Cineverse Podcast Network also recorded 15 million downloads and listens in October, setting a new monthly record.

Among the drivers of this growth is Creepy Places: A True Crime Podcast, which recently launched via a partnership between Cineverse’s fan-first horror brand Bloody Disgusting and host Jon Grilz. The popular show at the intersection of true crime and historical hauntings has attracted 1.3 million monthly downloads since premiering in September and joins other additions to Cineverse’s growing podcast portfolio:

The iconic horror brand Dead Meat brings its dedicated fan base and over 200 episodes to Cineverse with the recently signed Dead Meat Podcast, hosted by Chelsea Rebecca and James A. Janisse, creators of the Dead Meat YouTube channel with over 6.6 million subscribers.Extending Cineverse’s popular action/cult movie streaming brand of the same name, Midnight Pulp will premiere in 2025. Hosted by Diana Prince, who plays “Darcy the Mail Girl” on Shudder’s top series The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs, each episode of the podcast will explore an entry from the streaming video channel, with Prince taking questions from listeners on everything from relationship advice to movie recommendations.Following a soft launch earlier this year, RetroCrush is Cineverse’s first official podcast created for anime fans. Hosts Malcolm Crawford, C2 and “it’s Eman” – three well-known anime fans – explore the hidden gems and popular shows featured on Cineverse’s RetroCrush streaming channel in weekly episodes.

“From partnering with talent and IP that come with pre-existing fan bases, to leveraging our owned-and-operated brands like Bloody Disgusting, Midnight Pulp and RetroCrush – all part of the company through strategic acquisitions from the past few years – we have quietly built one of the industry’s top podcast networks,” said Cineverse President and Chief Strategy Officer Erick Opeka. “Creators and partners – including advertisers, platforms and studios – are seeing this success and now coming to us to explore opportunities to work together in audio, and we are well-positioned to grow even further in the new year.”

These new podcasts follow other recently released shows on the Cineverse Podcast Network:

Mayfair Watchers Society: The chart-topping fiction podcast returned in May with Season 2, featuring 24 episodes every other week. Created in partnership with Trevor Henderson, the author of Scarewaves and prominent horror artist, the series brings Henderson’s creatures to life and features a full cast, original music and immersive sound design.Nightmare Soup: The horror fiction anthology podcast also premiered earlier this year, taking listeners back to their favorite horror stories from childhood. Inspired by iconic books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Goosebumps, the 10-episode series airs every other Sunday.

Now home to more than 50 shows and ranking among the top 10 podcast networks by audience, the Cineverse Podcast Network has set the stage for significant ad sales growth over the next few quarters.

ABOUT CINEVERSE

On a mission to uplift storytellers and entertain fans with the power of technology, Cineverse  (NASDAQ: CNVS) distributes over 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts. Engaging over 150 million unique monthly users, Cineverse delivers more than one billion minutes of curated content each month – connecting fans with stories that resonate.

With properties like the box office sensation Terrifier 3, iconic horror destination Bloody Disgusting, the Bob Ross Channel, women’s entertainment channel Dove, and a leading podcast network, Cineverse is the first stop for audiences seeking authentic and experiential content. From a vibrant range of content and fandom channels, to next-gen advertising offerings and streaming solutions, Cineverse is setting the stage for a new era of entertainment.

Press Contacts:

For Media
The Lippin Group for Cineverse, cineverse@lippingroup.com

For Investors
Julie Milstead, investorrelations@cineverse.com

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SOURCE Cineverse Corp.

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Neighborly Appoints Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as Chief Marketing Officer

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WACO, Texas, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ —  Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company, today announced the appointment of Stacy Lynn Bourgeois as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective December 2. She will serve as a member of Neighborly’s corporate leadership team and report directly to CEO Mike Davis.

Stacy Lynn brings a wide array of experience in business and brand strategy, organizational leadership, customer insight, data analytics, and marketing technology,” said Davis. “Her expertise and innovative approach to marketing will be instrumental in helping us better connect with our customers, differentiating our brands, making Neighborly and our service brands ridiculously easy to do business with while navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.”

The fanatical focus on the end consumer also serves Neighborly’s core mission of driving same-store sales growth with its franchise business owners. Bourgeois’ mixed background in both franchising and non-franchised business makes her uniquely qualified to deliver for both our customers, end-consumers, and franchise business owners.

Bourgeois is a strategic marketer who has driven double-digit growth while compiling a breadth of experiences. Throughout her career, she has launched new physical and digital products as well as a new restaurant concept at Yum! brands, stood up several new teams such as performance marketing and data science, implemented a new marketing technology stack, and led Pizza Hut through an agency review and countless creative campaigns.

She joins Neighborly from Amazon, where she broadened her scope from marketing to business more holistically in roles such as Global Head of Product, Quality & Operations for Amazon Renewed or U.S. Head of Musical Instruments. In her time with Amazon, she’s enhanced the discoverability of preowned products, increased conversion rates, simplified customer experience, improved operations, and owned a multibillion-dollar P&L. Even in general management-focused roles, she’s anchored on driving growth through the customer – such as offering free lessons with an instrument purchase on Amazon.

I am thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Neighborly and support our franchise owners,” said Bourgeois. “Customers invite Neighborly and our brands into their homes, which is deeply personal and requires tremendous trust. My goal is to earn this trust by listening to and innovating for customers in a way that builds lasting relationships with our amazing brands.”

Bourgeois will be based in Irving, Texas.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,500 franchises collectively serving 14 million+ customers by repairing, maintaining, and enhancing their homes and businesses. Through Neighborly.com and the Neighborly mobile app, we connect consumers to local service providers that meet rigorous franchisor standards across 19 service categories. More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here.

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SOURCE Neighborly

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EHA Highlights Commitment to Innovation and Collaboration at ASH Annual Meeting

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The European Hematology Association (EHA) will showcase its dedication to advancing research and fostering collaboration at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition from December 7-10, 2024, in San Diego, California, USA.

The partnership between EHA and ASH is testament to both organizations’ commitment to progress and improving patient care. The EHA-ASH Joint Symposium, scheduled for Sunday, December 8 from 12:30-13:30 (PDT), will focus on myelodysplastic syndromes, showcasing expert insights from Amy DeZern of Johns Hopkins University and Matteo Della Porta of Humanitas Cancer Center. EHA President Antonio Almeida remarked, “The collaboration between EHA and ASH holds immense significance for the global medical community. Both organizations serve as pivotal platforms for advancing the understanding, research, education, and treatment of blood disorders. […] By combining our strengths, together, we can enhance research, education, advocacy, and patient care, generating significant benefits that resonate across nations and communities.” This joint session is another milestone in a fruitful collaboration that continues to shape the future of hematology.

In 2024, EHA reached unprecedented levels of engagement, connecting more professionals than ever. Membership surged by 25%, bringing EHA’s community to over 8,300 members, and the EHA2024 Congress attracted a record-breaking 17,900 delegates. This growth reflects EHA’s commitment to a member-focused approach, empowering professionals to exchange knowledge, collaborate on research, and share best practices on a global scale.

HemaSphere, EHA’s peer-reviewed journal, has recently achieved a significant milestone with a 2023 Impact Factor of 11.9, ranking it seventh among hematology journals globally. This development is a testament to the high-quality, cutting-edge research that HemaSphere publishes and its value to the hematology community.

With a vision for “Borderless Hematology,” EHA will continue to drive global connectivity, innovation, and excellence.

ASH delegates are invited to learn about EHA at booth #300.

About EHA

The European Hematology Association (EHA) is a membership organization serving a community of over 8,000 medical professionals, researchers, and scientists with an active interest in hematology. EHA is the largest Europe-based organization connecting hematologists worldwide and supports career development and research, harmonizes hematology education, and advocates for hematologists and hematology.

Website: www.ehaweb.org

“Towards prevention, cure, and quality of life for all patients with blood disorders”.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2461261/4811631/European_Hematology_Association_Logo.jpg 

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SOURCE European Hematology Association (EHA)

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