{"id":1314203,"date":"2026-02-12T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/?p=1314203"},"modified":"2026-02-11T15:14:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T21:14:11","slug":"wisconsin-work-recovery-apricity-contract-packaging-manufacturing-appleton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2026\/02\/wisconsin-work-recovery-apricity-contract-packaging-manufacturing-appleton\/","title":{"rendered":"Work, recovery and second chances on a Wisconsin manufacturing floor","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time: <\/b><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 7<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Click here to read highlights from the story<\/summary>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Apricity Contract Packaging employs about 100 people each year at its northeast Wisconsin and Milwaukee locations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The organization is one of few nationwide devoted strictly to employing people who are recovering from addiction.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Workers say the environment helps them hold a job and gain confidence as they build sobriety.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>But it doesn\u2019t work out for everyone, with some new hires opting out during orientation or in their first few days.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employees who want to stay get support if they aren\u2019t performing up to standards or relapse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>Mellisa Edwards didn\u2019t have a job for a decade as she struggled with drug addiction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That changed last March, when she got a job doing packaging and assembly work at Apricity Contract Packaging in Appleton and moved into a nearby residential treatment home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Edwards got off to a rocky start. She missed shifts because she didn\u2019t want to get out of bed, leading her supervisors to write her up. But her co-workers helped her rebound. They\u2019re taking on the same challenge of staying sober while showing up to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apricity Contract Packaging is run entirely by people recovering from addiction. Roughly 100 people work at the northeast Wisconsin and Milwaukee locations each year, building sobriety and stable employment records free of the many obstacles found in typical workplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apricity leaders say they\u2019re catering to workers who employers often overlook. While there\u2019s been a push in recent years to make workplaces more \u201crecovery-friendly,\u201d few organizations nationally strictly employ those in recovery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C522&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Three people stand in a warehouse-like room \u2014 one pointing a finger, one wearing a green Packers sweatshirt and the other facing the other way \u2014 near stacked materials and equipment, including a ladder and large rolls, beneath a sign reading &quot;apricity&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-1314208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=782%2C522&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse592__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-782x522.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andy Geurden, left, a team leader at Apricity Contract Packaging, talks with company President Dan Haak as they tour the production floor in Appleton, Wis., on Jan. 26, 2026. Geurden said he appreciates the support he\u2019s received from his co-workers on his recovery journey: \u201cIt took a little bit, but I can actually stand the person I see in the mirror when I wake up in the morning now, thanks to the staff and everyone having my back.\u201d (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe offer employment in a safe environment where people aren&#8217;t necessarily impacted by some of the judgment and that fear of somebody looking into their history with substance use,\u201d Apricity Contract Packaging President Dan Haak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, Edwards always shows up to work on time, and she earned a perfect score on her last performance review. She plans to stay at the job for at least another year, until she finishes her probation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love it here &#8230; (Other workers) know what you\u2019re going through, so they can relate very well,\u201d Edwards said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaders aim for their jobs to be transitional, for workers to build \u201ca foundation of recovery and safer behaviors,\u201d then move into new jobs with more confidence, Haak said. But there\u2019s no limit to how long people can stay, and many stay for years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe try to motivate them as much as we can \u2026 to show them they have a career ahead in this and everything else, if they want one,\u201d team leader Andy Geurden said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A unique operation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Haak began working at the plant at his counselor\u2019s recommendation in 1998, when the organization was known as STEP Industries. He climbed up the ranks over the years and is now president of the plant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI came out of treatment and didn&#8217;t have a driver&#8217;s license, didn\u2019t have a car, and had a terrible work history, because when I was using, getting up in the morning was hard,\u201d Haak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many find themselves at Apricity in the same shoes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C522&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person uses a tape dispenser to seal a cardboard box at a worktable, with stacks of flattened material piled in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1314209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=782%2C522&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse487__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-782x522.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Derik Skorbier works on a project at Apricity Contract Packaging in Appleton, Wis, on Jan. 26, 2026. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Countless challenges can stand between people recovering from addiction and employment, like rocky work histories, criminal records, a lack of reliable transportation or judgment from employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping a job can be just as hard. Someone in recovery might need to work around scheduled drug tests or other legal appointments. They may struggle to avoid situations where substances are present, such as workplace happy hours. Their probation officers might need to meet with their bosses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople don&#8217;t necessarily want to open up and discuss all of those things, especially in an interview and say, \u2018Oh, I need to leave work early to go take a drug test three days a week,\u2019\u201d Haak said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, at Apricity, one\u2019s recovery is implied \u2014 and understood. That allows employees to focus on getting their lives back on track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would keep (my recovery) kind of hidden, and that can kind of be a barrier for me not really getting to know people,\u201d said Jason Koehler, who has worked at the plant for two years.<strong> \u201c<\/strong>Here, everybody kind of just knows it already. It&#8217;s not really even an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C522&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing a pullover with an &quot;apricity&quot; logo stands near industrial equipment, looking toward another out-of-focus person holding a cardboard box in the foreground.\" class=\"wp-image-1314213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=782%2C522&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse525__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-782x522.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">There\u2019s no limit to how long people can work at Apricity Contract Packaging, and many, including President Dan Haak, stay for years. Haak started at the organization in 1998 after finishing treatment. \u201cI think people in recovery are struggling with all kinds of stuff from a mental health standpoint. Being employed gives you a sense of purpose,\u201d he said. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Apricity formed in 2018, when two addiction recovery programs merged. Meaning \u201cthe warmth of the sun in winter,\u201d the company\u2019s name is a metaphor for those coming out of a dark period in their lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Efforts to reduce the stigma \u2014 including <a href=\"https:\/\/dwd.wisconsin.gov\/recovery-ready\/\">state resources to help employers hire workers in recovery<\/a> \u2014 haven\u2019t erased the challenge of finding work. Apricity remains one of few places in the country focused entirely on workers facing these challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha is-grid columns-2 colgap-2 show-image image-alignleft ts-2 is-3 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1314203\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>more from wisconsin watch<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1311073\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-addiction tag-green-bay tag-new-news-lab tag-news tag-photo-essay tag-wisconsin-watch category-health-welfare category-public-square type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/11\/laurie-doxtator-wisconsin-green-bay-sobriety-sober-living-home-women\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"\u2018I came from nothing and built a community\u2019: After years of healing, woman takes next step in sobriety\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/asse20250813-Laurie-Doxtator-Amandas-House-Timmerman-007.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/11\/laurie-doxtator-wisconsin-green-bay-sobriety-sober-living-home-women\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">\u2018I came from nothing and built a community\u2019: After years of healing, woman takes next step in sobriety<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1312781\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-appleton tag-education tag-new-news-lab tag-news tag-wisconsin-watch category-pathways-to-success type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\u2018Can&#8217;t do this alone\u2019: An Appleton school prepares students for skilled trades. It\u2019s not easy.\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">\u2018Can&#8217;t do this alone\u2019: An Appleton school prepares students for skilled trades. It\u2019s not easy.<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>Funded through grants and revenues from its services, Apricity offers two residential treatment facilities, a peer support and recovery coaching program, 24\/7 on-call recovery coaches, four sober living homes and, finally, the packaging plant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While not a requirement, many plant workers have been through Apricity\u2019s treatment program or stayed in its homes, safe places to land for those who have poor rental histories, eviction records or ongoing legal cases that make it difficult for them to enter a lease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018How to be a good employee\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On a late January morning at the Appleton plant, a pair of employees die-cut and packaged pieces of a tissue paper flower craft kit. Another team collapsed tri-fold poster boards and packed piles of them into branded boxes. Lindsey Jackson drove a forklift around the floor, moving stacks of finished packages.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hands-on work varies daily. Companies get a 5% tax rebate to hire Apricity for packaging or assembly projects, often because they need extra short-term labor, equipment or space.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The daily grind at Apricity teaches people \u201chow to be a good employee,\u201d Haak said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C522&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person wearing a cap and gloves sits in a seat with a hand on the steering wheel in a Toyota forklift, with stacked boxes and other equipment in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1314214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=782%2C522&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse553__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-782x522.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lindsey Jackson drives a forklift at Apricity Contract Packaging in Appleton, Wis., on Jan. 26, 2026. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Employees are held accountable for the basics: clocking in on time, dressing appropriately, properly calling in sick and staying productive. Leaders focus job interviews on the employee\u2019s recovery, rather than their work history. They work around drug court dates, probation obligations or treatment appointments. They organize transportation for those who need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s huge for self-esteem. I think people in recovery are struggling with all kinds of stuff from a mental health standpoint,\u201d Haak said. \u201cBeing employed gives you a sense of purpose. It gives you a sense of self-worth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everyone succeeds. Some new hires leave during orientation or soon after they start work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSometimes people, they start to make up excuses after the first couple of days, and we say, \u2018OK, well, what do you want? We aren&#8217;t forcing you to be here. It&#8217;s up to you. You can leave if you want, you can resign if you want. It&#8217;s not gonna hurt our feelings,\u2019\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees who want to stay get support if they fall short or slip up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Human resources manager Rachel Hasenzahl creates \u201crelapse prevention plans,\u201d evaluates employees\u2019 performances and helps them move up or toward the jobs they want. Over time, motivated staff can move into leadership roles, earning more, overseeing a crew and learning skills like forklift operation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apricity hopes employees will stay a while, build work history and skills, and eventually move on. About 40% do, often at other local manufacturers, like Plexus Corp., Pierce Manufacturing and Great Northern Corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But with no set end date, some workers stay for years, climbing the ranks. Many higher-ranking staff started in the program and now help others. Some who leave struggle without the robust support for recovery Apricity provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hasenzahl once left to try other jobs, but found it difficult to handle the way alcohol was embedded in workplace culture. She eventually returned to the packaging plant, where she now has a decade under her belt. When she relapsed, as some employees do, Apricity staff helped her back to sobriety. When she wanted to advance, leaders worked around her class schedule so she could study human resources at Fox Valley Technical College.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C522&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person smiles and sits looking at a computer monitor, with window blinds and blurred items in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-1314215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=782%2C522&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/asse287__Apricity_Appleton_Jan_26-782x522.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rachel Hasenzahl, Apricity\u2019s programming and human resources support coordinator, pursued jobs outside the organization, but returned because she found it difficult to navigate the way alcohol was embedded in workplace culture. She\u2019s been with Apricity for 10 years. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Before Apricity, Koehler bounced between jobs and was unemployed for two years. Since he started working at Apricity two years ago, he\u2019s rented his own apartment, saved money and taken on a lead role on the packaging floor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople kind of look to me for questions and (I\u2019m) becoming a leader again, proving to myself that I can do that again,\u201d Koehler said. \u201cPeople can trust me to do that for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Koehler, several employees said the most important thing they\u2019ve gained from the job is confidence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt took a little bit, but I can actually stand the person I see in the mirror when I wake up in the morning now,\u201d Geurden said, \u201cthanks to the staff and everyone having my back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In their own words: What do people and employers get wrong about people in recovery?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rachel Hasenzahl: <\/strong>\u201cThat they shouldn\u2019t put their full trust in us. That we\u2019re sneaky or manipulative. That being in recovery is uncommon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Andy Geurden: <\/strong>\u201cThat we\u2019re all felons. Many of us have never been in legal trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jason Koehler:<\/strong> \u201cI don&#8217;t think a lot of people understand what withdrawals are, and how bad they can actually be, and how long they last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd I think maybe some people have a stigma like, \u2018Well, you know, once they do drugs \u2026 that\u2019s what they\u2019re always gonna do. They&#8217;re always going to keep going back to it every couple of months\u2019 and things like that. Like, they can&#8217;t be dependent on you to do things because they&#8217;re just gonna mess it up.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Abby Schwabenlender:<\/strong> \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of stigma and stuff like that. We&#8217;re just not as bad as people think. We&#8217;ve just all gone through stuff, and we&#8217;ve gone down a different path than most people. But, like, I went to college, I did everything right right out of high school, and then I chose a different way. People can be from all over and even be doing the right things in life that you think are right, but still go down the wrong path.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Miranda Dunlap reports on pathways to success in northeast Wisconsin, working in partnership with <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opencampus.org\/\"><em>Open Campus<\/em><\/a><em>. Find her on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bymirandadunlap\/?hl=en\"><em>Instagram<\/em><\/a><em> and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ByMirandaDunlap\"><em>Twitter<\/em><\/a><em>, or send her an email at <a href=\"mailto:mdunlap@wisconsinwatch.org\">mdunlap@wisconsinwatch.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1279368 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=336%2C278&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=140%2C116&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=768%2C634&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1536%2C1269&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=2048%2C1692&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1200%2C991&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1568%2C1295&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=400%2C330&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1-782x646.png?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/\">Wisconsin Watch<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/subscribe\">newsletters<\/a>\u00a0for original stories and our Friday news roundup. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Those recovering from addiction have a difficult time finding stable employment and keeping it. 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