Original Article: https://www.palmcoastobserver.com/photo-gallery/your-town-portugal-day-in-palm-coast-aaea-business-themed-workshop-and-more#photo-4

The U.S. Small Business Association, along with two of its microlenders, presented a free workshop at the Palm Coast Community Center that introduced resources for interested entrepreneurs on Thursday, June 14.

“This workshop is the beginning of a collaboration between the SBA and the African American Entrepreneur Association as we work together to make available resources for the underserved African Americans and minorities in our communities,” Leslie Giscombe, chairman, founder and CEO of the AAEA, said in a news release.

The panelists included: Romessea Lewis, process manager of Black Business Investment Fund; Jeremy Pombier, vice president of VyStar Credit Union; Valerie Green, senior loan consultant of Accion East; and Thaddeus Hammond, economic development specialist of U.S. Small Business Association.

Business owners attending the workshop, sponsored by VyStar Credit Union, learned “how to work with the SBA through the AAEA to secure government-backed guaranteed loans to build and grow their businesses,” according to the release.

For more information, contact the AAEA on its website at AAEClub.com.