Congresswoman Matsui Announces $110,000 Federal Award to Opening Doors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 1, 2012
CONTACT: JONELLE TRIMMER
(202) 225-7163
Congresswoman Matsui Announces $110,000 Federal Award to Opening Doors
Funds will Expand Access to Micro-Loans for Underserved Sacramento Residents
CA - Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) today announced that Opening Doors Inc. has received a $110,200 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The grant will support Opening Doors' Prosperity Project Refugee Microenterprise Program, which helps Sacramento area residents by providing micro-loans to help them start or expand their small businesses.
"I am pleased that this funding will allow Opening Doors to continue to provide critical financial support to underserved Sacramento residents pursuing the dream of business ownership," said Congresswoman Matsui. "By providing these entrepreneurs with the tools they need to be successful, Opening Doors is helping these individuals while creating jobs and lifting Sacramento's economy."
The Prosperity Project is one of several programs Opening Doors runs to provide tools and support for survivors of human trafficking, refugees, immigrants and other underserved residents. Opening Doors works with refugees as they arrive in the United States, providing assistance with housing and ensuring clients have access to available support services. Often, after the refugees are settled, Opening Doors will work with them through their Prosperity Project to provide the assistance needed to help them start businesses in the local community.
"Our past and current clients have created more than 151 Sacramento area jobs in the last 5 years alone," said Debra DeBondt, Opening Doors Deputy Director. "The ORR support will enable us to continue helping refugees who dream of creating or expanding their own small businesses succeed, contributing to their families and our community."
Opening Doors began in 1993 as a small refugee resettlement agency called the Sacramento Refugee Ministry. Today, they are a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and have provided over $1 million in micro-loans to local business owners.
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