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Using kettle corn as a catalyst for opportunity

Heavy Kettle works to help those formerly incarcerated rejoin society.

By: Greg Bradbury

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — If you've been around to any of the recent events downtown, chances are you have seen Heavy Kettle.

The kettle corn company is serving up more than just popcorn, but opportunity as well.

"This is a great way to I guess help a person like myself," John Lowther said.

Lowther has a criminal background and uses the job with Heavy Kettle as a way to help him rejoin society.

"It's a major asset to where I am trying to be for me," Lowther said. "I want to be the best I can for me. So, for those I am around, I'm a benefit to them as well. So it starts with me and that's what I'm trying to work on."

"Me personally I had a criminal background so coming out trying to find housing was the hardest thing," Danny Howe, the owner of the trailer said. "Housing and employment are pretty much impossible with a criminal background."

Howe started The Earnest House as a place for those with similar backgrounds to live, but recently has had success with his new venture that helps them with work.

"To watch the kettle corn really take off and give back in the way it has been really cool to watch," Howe said.

The kettle corn job serves as a way to build them back up to rejoin society and find other jobs as well.

"We were noticing too that those confidence levels started going up and then they're going and getting jobs on their own," Howe said. "It just kind of took off from there. Teaching them some skills and getting them out of that shell and then watching them success and get other employments."

Heavy Kettle will often be found at events around town. On Saturday and Sunday morning, they will be at the farmers market at St. Philip's Plaza.

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Greg Bradbury is a reporter for KGUN 9. Greg is a graduate of Syracuse University where he studied Broadcast Journalism and Spanish. Greg joined KGUN 9 in February 2021 as a Multimedia Journalist after working at the ABC National Desk as a Digital News Associate. Share your story ideas and important issues with Greg by emailing greg.bradbury@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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