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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 22, 2024)
May 22, 2024 Page 9 Celebrating Small Business Month in May Rose Festival announces Grand Marshal Jenny Nguyen, founder and CEO of The Sports Bra CEO of The Sports Bra to be in Starlight Parade Owners of Mercado Latino on Fourth Plain Boulevard in central Vancouver Supporting the Growth of Small Business in the Community Vancouver Mayor Anne McEn- erny-Ogle proclaimed the month of May “Small Business Month” in Vancouver. The designation coincides with Nation- al Small Business Month and National Small Business Week. Also on May 6, City Manager Eric Holmes and region- al staff of the U.S. Small Business Ad- ministration (SBA) will sign a Strategic Alliance Memorandum. The document publicly illustrates the City’s commitment and partnership with the SBA, working together to meet the needs of the small business community. “Small businesses represent more than 95 percent of our businesses; they are the heart and soul of our city’s economy,” said Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle. “Small Business Month is a time for residents and visitors to affirm and support those in our city who are hard at work to both offer us their exceptional goods and services, as well as to keep their dream of being busi- ness owners alive." Throughout May, the City and its partners will share ways for the community to support small business- es and promote opportunities for entrepre- neurs, startups and existing small busi- nesses to grow and thrive in Vancouver. The City is committed to supporting the growth of its small business community by removing barriers to success and bol- stering a thriving local economy through programs such as business assistance, the Community Development Block Grant program provided $485,000 in small business assistance for culturally specific workshops, one-on-one specialized busi- ness consulting and opened a community commercial kitchen for food-related busi- nesses in 2023. The City will provide an estimated $400,000 for additional busi- ness assistance this year.Doing Business with the City, A program that publicly advertises bid opportunities offering busi- nesses the opportunity to fulfill the City’s needs for goods, services, construction/ public improvement projects, and profes- sional/technical assistance. An interactive website invites busi- nesses to submit bids, quotes, and pro- posals competitively. This service offers businesses a unique solution to filling their project pipelines, adding to their expanded growth and sales. A Restaurant Start-Up Guide that is a simple eight-step guide detailing what permits, licensing, plans and inspections are needed before opening a restaurant within City limits. The City prioritizes the success and re- tention of small, local businesses as part of all key development projects taking place across Vancouver, including Water- front Gateway, the Heights District, Main Street Promise and Fourth Plain for All investment strategy. Follow the hashtag #CouveSmallBiz and visit the City of Vancouver on social media’s The Portland Rose Festival announced today the 2024 CareOregon Starlight Pa- rade Grand Marshal is Jenny Nguyen, founder and CEO of The Sports Bra. “When we talked with the communi- ty about a Starlight Grand Marshal, the feedback was clear this year,” said Nick Brodnicki, COO. “We wanted to celebrate women’s sports or small business. Jenny represents both of these ideas and so much we love about the CareOregon Starlight Parade and Portland; opportunity creation, representation, and great food and drink.” Nguyen said, “I have very distinct mem- ories of both the Grand Floral Parade and the Starlight Parade from when I was just a tiny little kid. I remember waving to ev- eryone at the Grand Floral Parade and then chasing intricate floats for candy or stick- ers or to pop bubbles. As I got older, I went to the Starlight Parade and sat on the side- walk and watched glow sticks and color- ful lights accompany the raucous energy. The Rose Festival has been one of my core Portland memories. I cannot believe that I would ever have the opportunity to actual- ly be a celebrated figure at the center of it.” Dedicated to Affordable Housing and Environmental Conservation Continued from Page 5 Hacienda CDC is Oregon's largest Latino-led, Latino-serving housing organization. Since 1992, it has developed 12 affordable housing communities and served 2,400 people across Portland, Gresham, Molalla and Oregon City. OnPoint has provided fi- nancial support to Hacienda CDC since 2015, including donating $5,000 to the Portland Mercado Relief Fund to help vendors from its business development program affected by a fire. Hacienda CDC’s $200,000 Member Impact Fund grant will go toward the develop- ment of its new 122-unit afford- able housing project in Hillsboro. “In Hacienda’s experience, de- veloping affordable housing is a community effort that gets us to the finish line. For example, our Dolores Affordable Housing Proj- ect was awarded through a com- petitive process, which included land from the City of Hillsboro and $10.5 million of capital from Portland, Oregon’s Metro Hous- ing Bond, among several other funding sources. Even with all this support, we still have a fund- ing gap. This investment from OnPoint will be instrumental in bridging that gap and ensuring a commitment to affordable housing in Washington County. We are truly grateful for this community partner- ship with OnPoint.” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO, Hacienda CDC.
