Announcement Kicks Off Annual Difference Maker Awards Luncheon Honoring Community Leaders
KANSAS CITY, MO (December 3, 2015) -- The National Urban League marked the two-year anniversary of its landmark, $100 million private-public partnership, Jobs Rebuild America, with the designation of Kansas City as a “Jobs Rebuild America City.”
“On the 95th anniversary of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, we’re pleased to recognize the affiliate’s incredible work in the community, particularly through the Entrepreneurship Center Program,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “ULGKC has shown that public-private-nonprofit partnerships can drive job creation and the program innovation required to revitalize struggling communities.”
Gwen Grant, President and CEO of ULGKC, said, “The entrepreneurial spirit is the lifeblood of financially stable communities, particularly communities of color. Working in partnership with our parent organization, we’ve been able to help hundreds of small business owners with access to financing, technical assistance, strategic planning. Empowering entrepreneurs creates jobs and stimulates economic activity.”
Since it was established in 2007 as part of a national pilot program, the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Center has served more than 600 black-owned businesses providing one-on-one coaching services, creating hundreds of jobs and attracing more than $2 million in contracts. ULGKC also partners with the Black United Front and the national Buy Black Initiative to promote black owned businesses, helping to generate revenue and create jobs. Since 2005, ULGKC has served 1,040 businesses.
“It’s one thing to have the drive and ambition,” said Entrepreneurship Center Graduate Ajamu Webster, Owner and President of DuBois Engineering. “The Urban League helped me to focus my energy with greater precision. I made important contacts and learned valuable skills.”
The designation as a “Jobs Rebuild America City” recognizes ULGKC’s contribution to the mission of the national Jobs Rebuild America initiative. Launched 2013, Jobs Rebuild America is a solutions-based, comprehensive approach to the nation’s employment and education crisis, brings together federal government, business, and nonprofit resources to create economic opportunity in 50 communities across the country through the Urban League affiliate network.
The community investment component is a $100 million, five-year multi-platform effort designed to reach job-seekers, vulnerable youth and entrepreneurs. The initiative uses a comprehensive community development model that includes program offerings such as job-training for youth (18-24) and mature workers (55+), college preparation, a jobs network, entrepreneurship support, small business financing and resources, and tax credits, among others.
Kansas City was one of the first of 13 Urban League affiliate to launch the Entrepreneurship Center Program, Morial said. The others are in Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH, Cleveland, OH, Jacksonville, FL, Baltimore, MD, Los Angeles, CA, New Orleans, LA, Philadelphia, PA, Houston, TX, Washington DC and Las Vegas, NV.
“Last year, our Entrepreneurship Centers served nearly 11,000 business owners, helping to create or save more than 1,170 jobs and procure $73,765,728 in new contracts and financing,” Morial said. “It was due in great part to the hard work and success of the Kansas City affiliate that we have been able to expand the program across the country. Creating jobs and economically strengthening communities must be a collaborative effort among the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. We’re shifting the debate about the problem of unemployment to comprehensively doing what is required to solve it, and strong affiliates like the Urban League of Greater Kansas City are primed to do just that.”
The announcement preceded the affiliate’s annual Difference Maker Awards Luncheon at Starlight Theater in Swope Park, celebrating the 95th anniversary of ULGKC and honoring local business and community leaders and supporters. Honorees included:
- Patti Austin, Grammy Award Winner and Founder of Over My Shoulder Foundation
- Terri Bassham, Chairman and CEO of Kansas City Power & Light
- Joan Israelite, Kauffman Center for Performing Arts
- Brenda Sharpe, President & CEO of the REACH Healthcare Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Teresa Candori, National Urban League
(212) 558-5362, tcandori@nul.org
