Grants totaling more than $2.34 million have been awarded to 236 small businesses and nonprofits in Flint and Genesee County through the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s (MEDC) Michigan Small Business Restart Program. In Genesee County, the grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, helped to retain 1,950 jobs at area businesses. The grantees represent a variety […]
Residents and visitors looking for something to do in Flint can find it all on the new Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) website exploreflintandgenesee.org. The new site has tools for planning a visit, a more comprehensive events calendar and a streamlined RFP process for meeting planners and sports organizers. It also allows […]
The news spread rapidly in June when Bank of America announced it was making a $1 billion, four-year commitment to help local communities address key issues such as economic and racial inequality that have been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. This landmark program is focused on helping people and communities of color who have experienced […]
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has elevated black voices in state government by creating the Black Leadership Advisory Council, recognizing racism as a public health crisis and requiring implicit bias training for all state employees. “We must confront systemic racism head on so we can create a more equitable and just Michigan,” says Whitmer. “This is not […]
A multi-denominational group of pastors plan to make a big difference in Flint, according to Christ Church Tabernacle COGIC Pastor Chris Martin, who announced the Unity Coalition’s four-part plan at a press conference yesterday. Initiated to respond to the violence and racial disparities in the Flint-area, the group will collectively address what the pastorial community feels […]
It’s inevitable that aspiring high school seniors want to change the world. Surprise. It just changed — more significantly than many ever imagined as a result of the pandemic. Ask any senior to characterize their life today. You’ll get a similar response that may begin with an explicative or two. “It’s on hold. Absolute hold,” […]
Education seems to be top-of-mind and a top priority as we navigate through the pandemic and its devasting impact on families. It certainly is for Timothy Abdul-Matin, the co-founder of the MADE Institute, who recently announced his candidacy for the Flint Board of Education. Adbul-Matin hopes to turn around the trajectory of his less than […]
Small and black-owned businesses are the lifeblood of many city neighborhoods and business districts. In Flint, they have too often been among the last to arrive and the first to falter. The COVID-19 pandemic has only served to heighten the challenges this fragile, yet increasingly important, business sector faces, according to representatives of the Inter-Faith Small […]
Most everyone wants work to work. And with unemployment rising, it’s particularly important that those that seek work are well-qualified to fill open positions. That’s a part of the motivation behind Flint Innovative Solutions newly announced partnership with Delta Tire, which aims to help North Flint residents start a career in the automotive repair industry. […]
Returning home can be a bumpy process for many returning citizens. Too often times they come home to homelessness and face elevated employment, health and mental health challenges, according to M.A.D.E. Institute’s Executive Director Leon El-Alamin. Homes mean hope for many formerly incarcerated men and women “When basic needs like housing aren’t met, individuals are […]