To celebrate Small Business Month, Associated Bank Foundation and the Brewers Community Foundation, the charitable arm of the Milwaukee Brewer, today announced that 15 minority-, women-, LGBTQ- and veteran-owned businesses will receive a total of $100,000 in grants through the Ethnic and Diverse Business Coalition (EDBC) and The Business Council, Inc.
The grants will support their business needs through infrastructure, equipment, website and marketing development. All business recipients will also receive enhanced technical assistance and other supportive operations to help their businesses thrive.
Associated Bank Foundation and Brewers Community Foundation will further collaborate to provide visibility and traffic to these businesses through PR, social media support and in-stadium promotion, according to a press release. The program, now in its fourth year, will provide the small business owners access to Associated Bank staff who can discuss banking and cash management products, programs and services.
This program is a part of Associated Bank’s triannual Community Commitment Plan (CCP). The CCP, now in its fourth installment, details the company’s ongoing dedication to creating more equitable access to financial resources for low- to moderate-income and minority customers and communities. Since 2016, the CCP and its corresponding programming has contributed $9 billion to underserved communities across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, according to a press release.
“We are pleased to welcome another trailblazing class of diverse small business recipients into this strong program with EDBC and The Business Council, Inc.,” Associated Bank director of community accountability LaDonna Reed said in a statement. “Small businesses play an essential role in creating vibrant communities, and Associated Bank is committed to providing resources and expertise to help these historically underserved businesses prosper.”
“We are thrilled to partner once again to provide resources and guidance to many of the impressive small businesses throughout the state,” Brewers Community Foundation executive directot Cecelia Gore said in a statement. “In the past three years we’ve seen how the small businesses in this program flourish, and we are so proud to contribute to the program’s success.”
“We are honored to work with Associated Bank and Brewers Community Foundation by supporting 15 businesses throughout Wisconsin that need technical assistance and access to capital,” The Business Council executive director and EDBC chair Marjorie Rucker said in a statement. “These funds help these businesses to be a part of an economically-inclusive environment. In the past, respective ethnic or diverse business communities have often been marginalized from participation. Partnerships like this help to change the narrative as we move forward to build a stronger economy statewide.”
Business recipients will be honored at an in-game check presentation at American Family Field on May 28, as the Milwaukee Brewers™ face the Chicago Cubs.
The business recipients include:
Appleton:
Uni Uni Bubble Tea, Fannie Xie
Green Bay:
Weeya Calif, Weeya Michelle Calif
Madison:
Anthony Construction, LLC, Raymundo Navarette
Just Veggiez, James Bloodsaw
Milwaukee:
AJ Development Group, Kelly Jackson
Ampaw & Associates, Mark Ampaw
Camareros Enterprises LLC, Victor Hugo Camarero Carmona
Clearcut Solutions Concrete Sawing and Drilling, Quinn Long
Davis Seasonal Maintenance, Rikki Sczesny
Oh Snap! By Shell, Rochelle Einsiedel
Rise & Grind, Babonnie Tatum
Racine:
A&H Cleaning Services, Hugo Hernandez
Chemtech Engineering Inc, Megan Harper
Sussex:
Z’s Personal Limousine Service, Robert Zolicoffer
Waukesha:
GBF Bespoke Balloons and Event Services, Andrew Sawyer
