African Development Center
Minneapolis, MN

Many Somalis, Ethiopians and Liberians who have recently emigrated to Minnesota are helping revitalize inner city neighborhoods through entrepreneurial ventures. African Development Center (ADC) partners with many organizations to provide culturally appropriate programs to African immigrants who need help running their businesses, as well as financial technical assistance and ongoing counseling for start-up businesses. ADC has discovered that lack of adequate recordkeeping prevents many businesses from receiving the capital they need to expand. SPEDCO’s grant will not only help purchase copies of Quickbooks™ software for distribution to immigrant entrepreneurs, but will also help provide for extensive training on that product.

Episcopal Community Services, Inc.
Ready for Success Program at Hazel Park Congregational Church, St. Paul

This organization is committed to helping single moms, women just out of prison and others who need skills and tools to look for a job. Ready for Success provides low-income women with new or gently used professional clothing and accessories suitable for job interviews and the workplace, plus training on how an individual can make a positive first impression on a job interview. Ready for Success operates rent-free out of a small space in a church on the East Side of St. Paul. SPEDCO’s grant helped fund improvements to the clothing display area.

Rebuild Resources, Inc.
St. Paul, MN

Rebuild Resources helps people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction obtain meaningful, transitional employment and build self-sufficiency skills as they move back into the workforce. Rebuild Resources owns and operates two businesses in St. Paul where students gain skills, learn productivity and accountability and build their capacity to be valuable to an employer. SPEDCO’s grant funds a student sales apprentice position at Rebuild’s custom screen printing facility.