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About Us
Mission and History
Mission
The mission of the Women’s Enterprise Development Center is to build a vibrant community of women entrepreneurs by providing high-quality training programs and support services to both start-up and established women business owners in Westchester County and the Lower Hudson Valley, including training and access to microenterprise funding for minority and economically disadvantaged women.
History
The Women’s Enterprise Development Center Inc. (WEDC), a not-for-profit microenterprise development program, was formed in 1997 to help women achieve economic self-sufficiency through small business development. It was launched as a collaborative effort of:
- The Westchester County Association
- Westchester Community College
- New York State Division for Women (Lower Hudson Valley Advisory Council)
- Westchester Association of Women Business Owners (became WEDC’s membership affiliate, the Alliance of Hudson Valley Women Business Owners in 2006)
WEDC’s first clients were women transitioning off public assistance. In 2003 we became a United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Women’s Business Center and extended our reach to include mostly low and moderate income women.
In 2008, we became a New York Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP) Center. Though they have always participated in WEDC’s programs, as an EAP Center, WEDC’s mandate has officially been broadened to include men.
WEDC also serves specialized populations including mature adults 50+, child care providers, victims of domestic violence, and workers displaced by the current economic downturn.
In addition, WEDC has been offering training taught in Spanish since 2001.
Our Supporters
Aspen Institute
Avon Products Foundation
Capital One Bank
Citi Foundation
City of New Rochelle
City of Yonkers
Con Edison
Congresswoman Nita Lowey
EILEEN FISHER
Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC)
Hudson Valley Bank
IBM
JP Morgan Chase Foundation
Junior League of Central Westchester
M&T Bank
Prudential
State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins
State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer
State Farm Insurance
TD Bank
US Small Business Administration (SBA)
Wachovia
Women’s Research & Education Fund (WREF)
Westchester County Government
Westchester Delegation to the New York State Assembly
business networking
(Left to Right) Anne Janiak, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and Flor Cabello.
Photo Courtesy of Nancy Gold
“One in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned. “
- Center for Women’s Business Research
“3% of all women-owned firms have revenues of $1 million or more compared with 6% of men-owned firms.”
- Center for Women’s Business Research
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