NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A business that some in the community depend on caught on fire a couple of weeks ago. The family who is over the business says they’re starting from scratch but still with the same purpose, giving people with a criminal background a second chance.
On June 25, LaToya Moore, the Chief Operating Officer for ‘Do It My (D.I.M.) Way Pallet Manufacturing Company’ said their business caught on fire after complications with one of their machines.
“It was just a machine that caught fire. I’m guessing the heat (had something to do with it),” Moore stated.
Moore says it’s been “chaos” as they were trying to look for a new space to house their business and continue helping their employees who because of their criminal background might not have options to get another job as easy somewhere else.
“Here at D.I.M. Way we always had this motto of second chance, we are always giving guys who can’t normally get jobs a second chance,” Moore said.
Moore says their business is one that helps people around the state.
“We manufacture pallets from start to finish. Freight can’t move across the country without a pallet on the back of the truck,” Moore said.
Moore adds thankfully they were able to find a warehouse in the city to work out of, even if things don’t look the same yet.
“We really started from zero, now 50% there,” Moore said. “Before the fire we had nine employees, right now we are currently at four trying to get things ramped back up.”
Some of those employees with criminal backgrounds like Rashaad Scott and Curtis Holloway say they depend on this job and what it gives them.
Scott says, “it’s a good structure and hard work and it’s a way for me working hard and not give up.” While Curtis says the business feels like a family and he is “proud” of his work.
Moore said they still have a long way to go before they can get everyone back inside and working but they hope to continue to help who they can.