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 femaleidentifying 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.