Deborah Blanks is issuing a challenge to southeastern Wisconsin's business community.
"Get involved," says Blanks, who is chief executive officer of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Milwaukee County, a nonprofit agency dedicated to helping low-income families accumulate financial assets and become self-sufficient.
Blanks is urging businesses, particularly small businesses, to contact her agency and become part of the solution.
"Small businesses are very important in dealing with the issue of poverty. The reality is that small businesses have built the foundations for this economy and this society. I think small businesses could play a vital role in helping us," Blanks said. "Small business often times is the lifeblood of a community."
Business executives often say they would like to help, but they don't know how. Blanks has many ideas.
Here are a few examples of how business executives can help, according to Blanks: they can share their wisdom and experience to help inner city residents become entrepreneurs; they can serve as mentors; they can talk to youth about the value of education; and they can help prepare tax returns or provide other services for the working poor.
Think of the SDC as a liaison between people who want to help and the people who need help. The SDC, which partners with 200 other local community organizations, provides an array of services to combat poverty, including transportation to jobs, head start classes and daycare services for children, low-interest rate car loans, weatherization for rundown inner city homes, GED diplomas, assistance in paying heating bills, companionship and care for homebound senior citizens and meals for impoverished youth.
Furthermore, Blanks wants to hear from more small businesses about how the SDC and its partner agencies can better prepare their clients to become more employable.
"It's an issue that impacts us all. People are dealing with tremendous obstacles," said Blanks, who wears many hats in town. She is the co-chair of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's Anti-Poverty Commission and the president of the Wisconsin Association of Community Action Programs. She formerly was the director of the Disadvantaged Business Development Division for Milwaukee County.
For her work in turning around the SDC, Blanks received an IQ (Innovation Quotient) Award from Small Business Times at the Wisconsin Business & Technology Council earlier this year.
So, we can sit on the outside looking in, like U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, who recently proclaimed that Milwaukee "is rapidly becoming the murder capital of the U.S." and then retreated to his suburban home.
Or we can become part of the solution and take Blanks up on her challenge. She can be reached at (414) 906-2700 or dblanks@cr-sdc.org.
"Get involved," says Blanks, who is chief executive officer of the Social Development Commission (SDC) in Milwaukee County, a nonprofit agency dedicated to helping low-income families accumulate financial assets and become self-sufficient.
Blanks is urging businesses, particularly small businesses, to contact her agency and become part of the solution.
"Small businesses are very important in dealing with the issue of poverty. The reality is that small businesses have built the foundations for this economy and this society. I think small businesses could play a vital role in helping us," Blanks said. "Small business often times is the lifeblood of a community."
Business executives often say they would like to help, but they don't know how. Blanks has many ideas.
Here are a few examples of how business executives can help, according to Blanks: they can share their wisdom and experience to help inner city residents become entrepreneurs; they can serve as mentors; they can talk to youth about the value of education; and they can help prepare tax returns or provide other services for the working poor.
Think of the SDC as a liaison between people who want to help and the people who need help. The SDC, which partners with 200 other local community organizations, provides an array of services to combat poverty, including transportation to jobs, head start classes and daycare services for children, low-interest rate car loans, weatherization for rundown inner city homes, GED diplomas, assistance in paying heating bills, companionship and care for homebound senior citizens and meals for impoverished youth.
Furthermore, Blanks wants to hear from more small businesses about how the SDC and its partner agencies can better prepare their clients to become more employable.
"It's an issue that impacts us all. People are dealing with tremendous obstacles," said Blanks, who wears many hats in town. She is the co-chair of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's Anti-Poverty Commission and the president of the Wisconsin Association of Community Action Programs. She formerly was the director of the Disadvantaged Business Development Division for Milwaukee County.
For her work in turning around the SDC, Blanks received an IQ (Innovation Quotient) Award from Small Business Times at the Wisconsin Business & Technology Council earlier this year.
So, we can sit on the outside looking in, like U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, who recently proclaimed that Milwaukee "is rapidly becoming the murder capital of the U.S." and then retreated to his suburban home.
Or we can become part of the solution and take Blanks up on her challenge. She can be reached at (414) 906-2700 or dblanks@cr-sdc.org.
Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes in Milwaukee and is past president of the Milwaukee Press Club. BizTimes provides news and operational insight for the owners and managers of privately held companies throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Steve has won several journalism awards as a reporter, a columnist and an editor. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
When he is not pursuing the news, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife, Kristi, and their two sons, Justin and James. Steve can be reached at steve.jagler@biztimes.com.
