By Jeannine Etter

About 17 million U.S. women live in poverty - with a quarter of them being African American and Latino women.

The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment is the nation's largest micro-enterprise training and funding organization that seeks to balance out that debilitating number, in a time of national economic crisis, by providing hundreds of local high-potential, low-income women with training, funding and ongoing support to start their own businesses and become financially self sufficient. As part of an 11-week course, the women are immersed in a training session that teaches the fundamentals of running one’s own business. The women get training and support from volunteers, as well as high powered business professionals and have access to coaching, consulting and support. Upon completion of the program, the women, on average, create 2.5 jobs with the skills that they have learned. In 2011, graduates created and retained more than 5,500 new jobs, thus creating a boost in the economy, solid foundations for their families and uplifting their communities.

The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment will be holding its 2012 Alameda County Awards Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. TODAY, Friday, Oct. 12 at the Berkeley City Club. This event intends to raise the much-needed funds to support the important on-going work of Women’s Initiative in Alameda County.

The event includes inspiring stories from women in the program, an award ceremony and a “marketplace” where Women’s Initiative graduates will be selling products like exquisite jewelry, clothing and more. The Marketplace will be followed at noon by a two-course luncheon and awards ceremony to honor Champion of the Year, Graduate Entrepreneurial Spirit and Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. Attending this event is one way to give back to your local community.


If You Go

Join Alameda County’s most powerful business leaders at our Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards luncheon

When: Friday, Oct. 12
   --11:30 a.m. to noon - Registration and marketplace
   --Noon to 1:30 p.m. - Ceremony and luncheon

Where: Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley
 
For information about this event, contact Beatriz Rojas at (510) 287-3107 or brojas@womensinitiative.org.