Dallas-based staffing and recruiting company Cornbread Hustle has been acquired by TruRecruiting, a faith-based workforce solutions organization headquartered in North Carolina. The combination will expand employment programs for people facing barriers to entering or reentering the workforce.
Key Facts
- Company acquired: Cornbread Hustle, a Dallas-based second-chance staffing and recruiting company.
- Buyer: TruRecruiting, a faith-based workforce solutions organization based in North Carolina.
- Shared mission: Both organizations connect underserved job seekers with employers and long-term career opportunities.
- New markets: Cornbread Hustle plans to expand into Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Wichita, Kansas.
- Leadership: Founder and CEO Cheri Norris will remain involved in strategic growth, employer partnerships, brand development and national expansion.
- Terms: Financial details of the acquisition were not announced.
Acquisition Expands Second-Chance Employment Programs
Cornbread Hustle specializes in helping people with criminal records and other employment barriers connect with companies willing to consider their skills, character and potential rather than focusing exclusively on their past.
TruRecruiting serves several underserved populations, including refugees, survivors of human trafficking and young adults aging out of foster care. The addition of Cornbread Hustle will expand those services to include more people returning to the workforce following incarceration.
The combined organization said it will continue working with employers nationwide while developing additional programs designed to connect qualified candidates from underserved communities with sustainable career opportunities.
“From day one, Cornbread Hustle was built on the belief that a person’s worst mistake should not define the rest of their life,” Norris said.
Norris said the partnership will allow Cornbread Hustle to expand its mission alongside an organization that shares its faith-centered approach to employment and economic opportunity.
Cornbread Hustle Plans Expansion Into Three Markets
As part of the acquisition, Cornbread Hustle will expand into Atlanta, Raleigh and Wichita, where it will work alongside TruRecruiting’s established operations.
Norris will continue leading several areas of the organization, including strategic growth initiatives, employer relationships, brand development and expansion into additional markets.
TruRecruiting CEO Doug Dandurand said the acquisition strengthens the organization’s ability to serve people who have historically been overlooked by conventional hiring systems.
“Cheri has built an extraordinary organization with a proven track record of changing lives through employment,” Dandurand said. “This partnership strengthens our ability to serve underserved populations.”
Dallas Company Founded in 2016
Norris founded Cornbread Hustle in Dallas in 2016 after working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people who struggled to find employment after leaving prison.
The company has since helped place thousands of people in jobs throughout the United States, ranging from entry-level and general labor positions to skilled and management roles.
Cornbread Hustle also works with employers to implement skills-first and second-chance hiring practices. Its programs are intended to help companies identify capable workers who may be excluded by traditional screening and recruiting processes.
In 2021, the company was named Social Innovator of the Year during United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ annual The Pitch competition. Cornbread Hustle received five awards and $145,000 in funding during the event.
The company released a report in 2024 examining the United States labor shortage and the potential role of second-chance hiring. The report incorporated more than 40 research sources along with company data covering more than 2,500 employees and thousands of job applicants.
Combined Organization Will Serve Employers Nationwide
Cornbread Hustle and TruRecruiting said the combined organization will continue serving employers across the country while creating additional pathways to employment for people from underserved communities.
The acquisition gives Cornbread Hustle access to a broader operational network while allowing TruRecruiting to add second-chance recruiting and staffing services to its existing workforce programs.
Both organizations said their long-term focus will remain on economic mobility, employment stability and helping job seekers build sustainable careers.