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News of MERIT
Greetings!
This summer at MERIT has been filled with new and exciting opportunities and partnerships! First, you'll notice MERIT has changed its look - thanks to the great work of CrazyFuego! You can expect further updates to our website this upcoming year to make it even more valuable to aspiring micro-business owners. In July, MERIT rolled out its new training Explore and Define Your Business, a 12 hour training series that focuses on personal readiness for entrepreneurship and refining your business concept. The new class was a huge hit! One participant had this to say: "This class was invaluable. Helped very much to bring my ideas from concept to development, and to point me in the right direction for how to proceed." We will be offering Explore and Define Your Business again this fall - read below for more details.
If you know people who are considering self- employment, please forward this newsletter to them. For more information about MERIT, please visit www.merit-microenterprise.org.
Thanks for your support of MERIT!
Forrest Peck
Program Director |
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MERIT Information Session in September
Do you have a business idea and don't know what to do with it? Explore and Define Your Business is just for you! To learn more come to an information session on September 6th in Salem from 6:00 - 7:00pm. Attending the information session is necessary to enroll in Explore and Launch Your Business. If September 6th in Salem doesn't work for you, visit our website for upcoming information sessions in Salem, Independence, and McMinnville throughout the fall. To register for the information session, click here. |
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Start Your Business Workshops
Thinking about a business idea? Not sure if self-employment is right for you? Want to know more about what you might be getting into? If this describes you or someone you know we have good news.
MERIT has a class where you can explore self-employment in an informal setting. We call this Start Your Business, and we now offer it monthly in five locations. Best of all it's free!
- Salem (English)- September 8th from 9-10AM at Worksource Salem, 605 Cottage St NE
- Salem (Spanish)- September 8th from 10-11AM at Worksource Salem, 605 Cottage St NE
- Grand Ronde - September 8th from 10-11AM at Adult Education Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road
- Dallas - September 8th from 12-1PM at WorkSource Center, 580 Main St. Suite B
- McMinnville - September 8th from 2-3PM at WorkSource Center, 370 NE Norton Lane
- Woodburn (English)- September 8th from 12-1PM WorkSource Center, 120 E Lincoln St, Suite 115
- Woodburn (Spanish)- September 8th from 1-2PM WorkSource Center, 120 E Lincoln St, Suite 115
To register for the next Start Your Business class, please call the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center at 503- 399-5088.
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Special Thanks
MERIT recently received financial support from First Federal to increase business assistance services in Yamhill County. We appreciate First Federal's confidence in us and their partnership to provide these valuable resources to the aspiring business owners of the county. Thank you First Federal! |
Special Thanks
 Every month MERIT provides Start Your Business workshops in the Salem WorkSource Oregon Center in both English and Spanish. This workshop provides great value to the community as unemployed or underemployed individuals learn how they can increase their income through self-employment. We are pleased to announce that the Salem Community Foundation also sees value in our work at the WorkSource Center and has decided to financially support the workshops this year. Thank you Salem Community Foundation!
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MERIT and the Confederated Tribe of Grand Ronde to Partner
MERIT has been awarded a grant from USDA Rural  Development to help build a microenterprise program at the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. More information on the program can be heard on OPB in an interview with Forrest Peck, the director of MERIT. Both MERIT and the Tribe are excited for this new partnership and opportunity. Special thanks to USDA Rural Development for this opportunity. |
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Second Annual Expo Negocio
The Latino Business Alliance and MERIT are pleased to announce that the Second Annual Expo Negocio will take place on November 18th - 19th, during Global Entrepreneurship Week. For two days, economic development professionals and small business owners will come together to discuss Oregon's economy and the positive economic impact Latino entrepreneurs are having on the local economy. This conference will include keynote speakers, small business workshops, food demonstrations from local restaurants, exhibitors, and excellent opportunities to network. This is an event not to miss! To learn more or to register for the luncheon or to buy an exhibitor booth, visit www.exponegocio.org. |
April in August!
 April Simmons is MERIT's new AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer. She recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in philosophy. April will be working to develop a volunteer program and assisting in building the capacity of Expo Negocio. Welcome, April!
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Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast 2011
The Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast 2011 Committee, IZO Public Relations & Marketing, the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs and the Latino Business Alliance of the Willamette Valley, would like to invite you to the Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast 2011 celebration. The breakfast event is Oregon's official kick-off for Hispanic Heritage Month. The event will bring together some of the most influential Hispanic leaders, business owners and community members from throughout Oregon. For more information and to register, visit www.izomarketing.com/HHMB. |
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Catholic Community Services is Hiring
Catholic Community Services,
the regional administrator of Safe Families for Children, has officially been selected to receive the assistance of an Oregon State Service Corps member for the 2011-2012 service year. Recruitment has opened to fill the position with an individual who is motivated and passionate about serving children and their families. The assignment will focus on recruiting and engaging volunteers from faith communities to provide respite care for children whose families are experiencing crisis. Please contact Teri Alexander at 503-485-8970 or talexander@ccswv.org for further information about the position and the application process. Catholic Community Services is a founding partner of MERIT. |
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LBA in the News
The Latino Business Alliance (LBA) is doing great work in the community and is getting noticed for it! Check out the article the Statesman Journal published on the LBA. |
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Food for Thought
Join Women Ending Hunger at 5 p.m. on Sept. 7 for the Food for Thought stand-in in downtown Salem. Hunger-relief advocates will draw attention to the 46,000 children in Marion and Polk counties that may be starting school with an empty stomach. According to Kat Daniel from Women Ending Hunger, "If you wonder if you made any difference standing in line with that empty plate, let me report that people in our community are still talking about what we did, and many of those who stood with us against hunger are coming back to stand again this year. Marion-Polk Food Share now has over 1,000 new monthly sustainers who are helping put emergency food boxes on family tables. I think we woke a few people up and now we have a chance to reach a few more".Call Kat Daniel to get your street assignment, 503-581-3855, ext. 322.
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Consider investing in a Donation to MERIT
Your donations to MERIT allow us to better serve our clients. MERIT is a 501c3 organization. Thank you for your support!
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