Thursday, June 3, 2021

El Pájaro Regional Women’s Business Center Virtual Grand Opening "Lunch"_ Speakers: Sen. Anna Caballero & Rep. Jimmy Panetta

  El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (El Pájaro CDC) is proud to announce the grand opening of El Pájaro Regional Women’s Business Center (RWBC) and invites the public to join the celebration on Friday, June 18th from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m via Zoom. 

Watsonville, CA, June 04, 2021 — El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (El Pájaro CDC) is proud to announce the grand opening of El Pájaro Regional Women’s Business Center (RWBC) and invites the public to join the celebration on Friday, June 18th from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m via Zoom. 

The keynote speakers for the event include State Senator Anna Caballero of the 12th State Senate District, which encompasses the Salinas Valley and part of the Central Valley, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), who was instrumental in getting the center launched. 

Last year, Congressman Panetta sent a letter to the Small Business Administration urging the establishment of a RWBC on the Central Coast to provide greater resources to local female-identifying business owners. 

“The El Pájaro Regional Women’s Business Center will provide greater opportunities to female entrepreneurs in our communities,” said Panetta. “El Pájaro RWBC will ensure women-owned small businesses have the tools they need to thrive during this bruising pandemic and long after. I was proud to advocate for a WBC on the Central Coast and I look forward to the future success of all who will benefit from the guidance of the El Pájaro RWBC team.” 

Panetta has been an advocate for small businesses and Women’s Business Centers, securing $23 million in Congress’ FY2021 omnibus package. In the 116th Congress, Panetta introduced the Community Economic Development Center Support Act to provide funding to nonprofits such as El Pájaro offering technical assistance to minority and immigrant-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Women’s Business Centers have been crucial in providing assistance to women entrepreneurs during the pandemic last year. Upon its inauguration, El Pájaro RWBC will join a national network of 136 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on business development. 

In conjunction with Sen. Caballero and Rep. Panetta’s participation at the event, El Pajaro CDC will introduce the Women’s Business Center team, share the powerful success stories of women-owned businesses that have participated in its programs, and unveil its new microloan program. 

During the past few months, El Pajaro CDC received over $1.5 million dollars from government and private funders to develop this new financing program. This represents El Pajaro CDC’s debut as a licensed State of California lender. 

Reservations to attend the virtual event can be made through Eventbrite. The registration cost is a donation of your choice. Additionally, event participants have the option of ordering a delicious vegan lunch from Chef Maria Gonzalez, owner of Cali Dawg, one of our women-owned food businesses. The lunch price is $25 and the menu includes: 

Roasted Corn & Garbanzo Salad- Fresh spring mix, roasted corn, seasoned garbanzo, tomatoes, bacon bits, red onion, shredded carrots, creamy cashew ranch dressing, or strawberry agave dressing. Both dressings are included.

Banana Chocolate Muffin: Chocolate-infused banana muffin with chocolate chips.

Orders will be available for pick-up only on the day of the event at the following sites: 

Salinas: at Park row cafe, 962 Park Row,

Watsonville: at Plaza Vigil, 25 E. Beach St.

If you are not able to place an order due to your location but would like to show your support, we encourage you to donate a lunch ticket to someone who may not be able to afford one via the Eventbrite registration, or to treat yourself to lunch from a women-owned business in your neighborhood! 

About El Pájaro CDC

El Pájaro CDC is a non-profit organization that offers culturally relevant services to underserved and underrepresented entrepreneurs throughout the Central Coast. They support clients in launching their businesses and developing their brands by providing no-cost information, workshops and consultation, training, resources, and business loans. 

Now, with the launch of El Pájaro RWBC, the team hopes to further empower the community of local leaders and entrepreneurs to pursue and reach their full potential. “Our team is excited to expand services and contribute as a key partner of the regional entrepreneurial support ecosystem. By providing accessible and affordable financing, we are helping overcome one of the biggest challenges that small and micro businesses encounter when starting and or expanding their services. We are proud to be one of a very few Latino-founded and led financial institutions in California and we want to celebrate this too” said Carmen Hererra-Mansir, executive director of El Pájaro CDC. 

For more information on the virtual event, please contact El Pájaro CDC at (831) 722-1224 or visit their website at elpajarocdc.org. 


Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
The Buzz PR, LLC.
Salinas, CA
(831) 747-7455
http://www.elpajarocdc.org

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