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RTDM09

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

5th Consecutive Sold Out RTDM!


700 People Have RSVP

Thank you for joining us as we congratulated and thanked those businesses, organizations and individuals in the community that are committed to making a difference by sacrificing their time, energy, and resources to improve the overall quality of life for all residents in Fresno.

5th Anniversary "Risk Takers, Dream Makers" Awards Luncheon

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2009 @ 12 NOON

THE GOLDEN PALACE


RTDMAwardees09
Find out more about the past honorees
2005-2008 Honorees

2009 RTDM Sponsors ...
 RTDM Sponsors09
Platinum

Radio Bilingue


Union Bank

 
 
Gold
Citi
 

Comcast
 

Comerica
 

Housing Authorities

City & County of Fresno



Silver
AARP
 
Fresno Magazine
 
PG&E



Bronze
AT&T
 
Clear Channel Communications
 
Dumont Printing
 
KJWL/KYNO
 
Valley Public Television      


Friend
Airgas Central Accounting Group
 
California State University, Fresno

CARTS
 
Chuckchansi Gold Resort & Casino
   
District 3 Councilmember, Cynthia Sterling

ITT Technical Institute
 
Kaiser Permanente
 
Michael & Company

State Farm Insurance

SEIU - UHW
 
The California Endowment
 
The Fresno Bee
 
The Ramsay Group
 
West Fresno Health Care Coalition

Workforce Investment Board



Supporter
AMCAL

Center for Responsible Lending

Central California Legal Services

Central Valley Bank
   
Fresno Center for New Americans

Fresno Regional Foundation
 
G&G Realty Solutions

Heald Business College
 
James & Coke Hallowell
 
Johanson Transportation
  
Lance Kashian & Co.
      
Ross / DD's Discount
 
Self Help Enterprise



For more info on this event please scroll down towards the bottom of this screen for the *5th Anniversary Risk Takers, Dream Makers Awards Luncheon*.
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Men & Boys of Color:

BMB
Black Men & Boys
(BMB) Coalition


Convened By
Fresno West Coalition for Econ Dev.
(559) 485-1273 candice@fwced.org
Social Compact


93706 Zip Code "DrillDown" Analysis

With generous financial support from Affinity Bank, the Citi Foundation, the PMI Foundation, and Union Bank of California and in partnership with the City of Fresno Economic Development Department, Fresno West Coalition and the Ramsay Group, Social Compact applied it's Drill Down analysis to the entire city of Fresno as well as for the Fresno county 93706 zip code area.

Asset Map of West Fresno Project
FWCED was awarded grant funds for the Asset Map of West Fresno by The California Endowment. In collaboration with the City of Fresno, FWCED's objective for the Asset Map of West Fresno is to compile all relevant assets of the 93706 zip code. With input from West Fresno residents, research from this project will be used to present economic and community development proposals for the West Fresno area to public and private agencies.

Affordable Housing
FWCED is working with several strategic partners to assist the community access housing by: (1) developing housing that people can afford in southwest Fresno and (2) educating residents to the process and the programs available to help first time homebuyer's.

  • Quarterly First Time Homebuyer's Workshops
  • Partnered with Habitat for Humanity for eleven homes to be built in West Fresno: Clara & North Villages (housing currently available)

Business Development
FWCED is doing its' part to enhance West Fresno's business community through advocacy, and technical assitance.  Understanding that small business and entrpeneurship are essential to neighborhood economic growth, FWCED has helped over 50 residents write their own business plan.

  • Business Plan Course
  • West Fresno Association
Employment Readiness & Referral
Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development has created several programs that involve generating employment for all southwest Fresno residents. We believe here at the Coalition that the residents living in the surrounding areas of southwest Fresno should have an opportunity, if qualified, to obtain a job. With FWCED, they can be referred to workforce training along to employment.

Quality Community Planning
FWCED is working to determine residents' perceptions about their community and to prioritize their most critical needs in order to allocate resources effectively.  At this time FWCED's activities are geared toward gathering and disseminating information to residents, as well as building the community assets through leadership training.

West Fresno Association

The West Fresno Association is a new community group for people committed to building assets in the Fresno Empowerment Zone. Sponsored by Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development, the West Fresno Association offers its members priority use of Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development’s free classes, the Neighborhood Economic/Employment Resource Center, staff support, and networking.

Criteria To join the West Fresno Association, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Must be 18 years or older
  • Must live, work, or worship in the Fresno Empowerment Zone
  • Have made a personal commitment to start building assets
And one or more of the following criteria:

  • Have taken a financial education class within the past 6 months (first time homebuyer, business development, credit counseling, etc, either at FWCED or one of our many partners)
  • Have used the FWCED Neighborhood Employment and Economic Resource Center (NEERC) in the last 6 months
  • Be a homeowner
  • Have been at current job for one or more years
Benefits of Membership Members of the WFA include:

  • Eligibility to join the Fresno County Federal Credit Union
    Periodic newsletters detailing financial education
  • Offerings at FWCED and other agencies, many of which are free of charge
  • Priority access to classes that fill up quickly
  • Priority use of the NERC
  • Support from FWCED staff
  • Networking with other members
West Fresno Association Membership Packet

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* 5th Anniversary "Risk Takers, Dream Makers" Award Luncheon *

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009 - 12 NOON
THE GOLDEN PALACE - 2625 W. VASSAR AVE. - FRESNO, CA 93705


Please read our letter below to find out about the plight of
Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development



Dear Friend of Fresno West Coalition:

Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development invites you to join us in building a stronger economy in Southwest Fresno. We are all aware of the tremendous challenges we are currently facing in the United States as well as the immediate challenges of poverty here in Fresno, California. We have been working hard to change the dynamics of poverty that exist in our community by taking a strategic approach that is data driven and passionate.  

For the last few years we have been presented with disheartening news that showcases the plight of our community's challenges. From the October 2005 Brookings Institution Report: Katrina's Window, "New Orleans ranked 2nd for the highest concentration of poverty in America follwing it's devastation by Katrina", to Fresno residents dismay, "Fresno Ranked 1st for having the highest concentrated level of poverty at 43.5%." In another report by the Measure of America: American Human Development Report 2008-2009 it state, of the 435 Congressional Districts in the United States of America, Congressional District 20 which runs right through the San Joaquin Valley and Southwest Fresno is one of the poorest and least educated counties in America.

With all of this information you can begin to understand the shear challenges faced on a daily basis. We are at  ground zero of concentrated poverty in America and we have been working hard for seven years with seven clean audits to change this anomaly. We've just finished an "Asset Map" of the surrounding area to design a strategic community development plan for Southwest Fresno. We have been instrumental in convincing our former mayor to bring in Social Compact's "Drill Down Analysis" to uncover hidden markets to promote investment opportunities, coupled with the fact that the Kearney Palms Shopping Center built in 1999 became Southwest Fresno's first major supermarket and construction project in decades. The Kearney Palms Shopping Center was a project everyone including banks stated "Would not succeed!"

Today the shopping center is an economically viable entity bringing thousands of reinvestment dollars back into our community. We know we can change these dynamics in our community, but we need your help. Annually we hold our "Risk Takers, Dream Makers Luncheon" in Fresno, CA. The aim of this event is to increase community recognition of individuals and businesses who routinely demonstrate their commitment to taking risks and making dreams come true in impoverished communities like Southwest Fresno. Every year this luncheon acquires great momentum with 300 in attendance at the 1st Annual luncheon in 2005, this year we anticipate 700 in attendance.
 
It is our hope that you will commit to a sponsorship at one of the following levels:

     -Platinum ($12,000)     -Gold ($8,000)     -Silver ($5,000)

 -Bronze ($3,000)       -Friend of FWCED ($1,000)     -Supporter ($500)

FWCED can assure you that your contribution WILL directly impact lives of residents of Southwest Fresno by funding core activities including financial literacy, first time home ownership, free EITC tax preparation, and small business training in West Fresno.

The Board and Staff of FWCED are working hard to facilitate change in Southwest Fresno. Within this context, FWCED has been fortunate to work with "Risk Takers, Dream Makers"... who are ordinary and not so ordinary, folks ... and have been instrumental in fulfilling the vision of improving Southwest Fresno.

We urge you to join us in the fight against poverty by committing charitable funds to our organization. You will find below a description of the sponsorship levels for the 5th Anniversary "Risk Takers, Dream Makers" Award Luncheon.

Please do not hesitate to contact Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development should you have any questions about our organization and its work, or the way in which this event and your contribution can decrease poverty in Southwest Fresno. You can reach me at (559) 485-1273 or by
e-mail at veronica@fwced.org. Thank you for your consideration of this request and for all that you do for the greater Fresno community!

Sincerely,

Keith A. Kelley
President/CEO, FWCED

kk/lar

Find out more about the past honorees
2005-2008 Honorees

Meet the 2008 Honorees:
Jesse Andrews - President's Award   
The California Endowment - Non Profit Organization Award
Comcast - Fresno County Business Award
Steve Geil - Fresno County Community Leader Award
La'Vera Williams - Southwest Fresno Business Award
Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr. - Southwest Fresno Community Leader Award

 

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