Local Community Builders Network Members Meet with Senator Hawley’s STL District Office
Justine PETERSEN participated in a convening of Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis (CBN) member non-profits and staff of the U. S. Senator Josh Hawley’s St. Louis District office. Organized by CBN’s Civic Capacity Committee, non-profit members discussed economic development priorities with Sam Saffa, St. Louis District Director for Senator Hawley. Mr. Saffa was eager to learn about efforts currently afoot, and encouraged CBN members to keep open lines of communication with his office regarding pressing issues. Topics discussed at the meeting included ongoing support of the CDFI Fund, and issues specific to the forthcoming SBA re-authorization bill. Regarding the lattermost, Justine PETERSEN encourages Senator Hawley to support the SBA’s Community Advantage Loan Program, and the transition of this loan program from the pilot phase to a permanent loan offering.
JP Celebrates Grand Opening of Enterprise Bank & Trust Financial Services Support Center
Justine PETERSEN’s Shawna Collier celebrated with community partners and practitioners the grand opening of Enterprise Bank & Trust’s Financial Services Support Center within the Mission: St. Louis facility at 3108 N. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis City. The financial services center “supports the objective of both organizations to provide financial and economic empowerment resources to transform individuals, families in the community.” Justine PETERSEN welcomes Enterprise Bank & Trust to the North Grand Blvd. corridor, and applauds yet another mainstream financial services provider in servicing community members located “north of Delmar.”
Join Artist and Educator Aaron McMullin for an International Discussion at our next Lunch N Learn
Micro and macro enterprise is related; so is domestic and international microfinance. Join artist, activist and educator Aaron McMullin and learn about her work with cotton farmers in India at our next Lunch N Learn entitled “Who Grew Your Clothes?” We all wear cotton, and chances are some it was grown in India, one of the top three producers of cotton in the world. But how many of us know anything about what it’s like to grow cotton in India?
For the past ten years, Aaron has been engaged in exploring the disconnect between consumers of cotton and Indian cotton farmers. She is committed to finding ways to shrink that gap through art and storytelling. Aaron will share insights form her experience living and working in India in 2012, when she received a Fulbright Language and Research grant. She will also talk with us about her recent exploration of the use of art as a tool to expand this discussion and reach a wider audience. Books, artwork and more will be available to interact with at this talk. Please joint us at the JP office, 1023 N. Grand Blvd. on August 19, 12 -1:00 pm.
JP Client Van Johnson: Gone but not Forgotten
Justine PETERSEN lost a dear friend recently. Mr. Van Johnson passed on July 9th after a long hard battle with a kidney-related disease. Van loved people who smiled, music with a soulful baseline, and pretty much any dog that he met. He will be sorely missed.