NEWBURGH – Hudson Valley
Pattern for Progress is going to use a $100,000 federal grant to provide
training, technical assistance, and mentoring to assist Hispanic residents
of the region to start or grow their businesses.
The Hispanic population is the fastest growing in the region, but Pattern
President Jonathan Drapkin noted that community is not monolithic.
“We need to design different approaches in different communities because in some places there could be a burgeoning Ecuadorian community, some places it is Peruvian, some it’s Mexican, and what will cause them to want to be part of community culturally and historically may be slightly different in each community,” Drapkin said.
Pattern Senior Vice President Joe Czajka said with a strong demographic shift in the Hispanic population in the region’s urban centers, “we are particularly excited to examine local issues and establish new strategies to create new businesses.”
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D, NY18) was instrumental in securing the grant for the Pattern study.
