AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/business/)
Stop by Jamaican Grill, at 5241 W. Chicago Ave., from 12 to 8 p.m. for its grand opening. Between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. there will be black economic empowerment rally (B.E.E.R.) in the heart of the Soul City Corridor.
DW Provision Consulting Services will hold an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. March 12 at 5512 W. Chicago Ave.
Young people ages 14 to 24 learned how to apply for work through the One Summer Chicago program at a job fair held last week at La Follette Park.
Uncle Remus will reopen at 5611 W. Madison St. on April 12. The business received a $160,000 grant from INVEST South/West, a community improvement initiative under Mayor Lori Lightfoot that targets Austin and several other West and South side neighborhoods.
The office at 5400 W. Madison St. will be open three days a week. There are three new part-time employees to help business owners apply for grants and other funding opportunities.
The group pushed for more contracts and jobs for the Black community and for the league to increase its advertising in the Black press. “This is an opportunity for the NFL to say, ‘Yes, we would like to engage with Black businesses, to do our part, to make sure that we can help communities develop and grow, and try to put people to work and try to help with the violence that is happening in the streets,'” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford.
The three businesses – POTLUC, Soul City Chicago and Third City Cafe – are receiving about $3 million out of $14.4 million being funded through the Chicago Recovery Plan. More than 180 proposals were submitted during the latest round of funding. The next deadline to apply for a grant is Jan. 31.
Community stakeholders and Fifth Third Bank recently engaged in a discussion on the importance of workforce development and investment in Austin. Speakers included Layla Bitoy, owner of Bitoy’s Sweet Treats, and Bradly Johnson of BUILD Chicago.
Stop by the community fall harvest resource fair and music extravaganza Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free event will be held at By The Hand, 415 N. Laramie Ave. Learn about how to get access to lending, rental assistance, free legal help and more. Lunch will be served at 12 p.m.
The Dream Center is a new co-working spaces and business support services agency on Chicago Avenue.