ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (August 19, 2019) — Multicultural entrepreneurs along with business and community leaders are invited to network over breakfast, 7:30-8:30AM, Thursday, August 22, at Catalyst Kitchen inside St. John's Lutheran Church, 4501 7th Avenue, Rock Island.
Breakfast is provided by Café Mundo and other multicultural vendors from Catalyst Kitchen. There is no cost to attend. Participants should register in advance at www.quadcitieschamber.com.
Aligning with the Quad Cities’ Q2030 Regional Action Plan, the Chamber is working to boost awareness of multicultural- and minority-owned businesses in the community and provide them with opportunities to grow and thrive.
Attendees will learn about:
- Quad Cities Catalyst Kitchen
- Quad Cities Multicultural Business Directory
- Building business relationships
- Diversifying networks
Catalyst Kitchen was founded in July 2018 by Palomares Social Justice Center and St John’s Lutheran Church to foster entrepreneurship in the nearby Floreciente neighborhood. Certified food managers may rent the kitchen on an hourly or daily basis. Catalyst also offers support and mentorship to those who want to launch a food business. Melissa Freidhof-Rodgers, a fourth-generation restaurateur, coordinates a pop-up dinner series at Catalyst called Café Mundo to encourage acceptance and inclusion of the many cultures that exist in the Quad Cities.
A new Quad Cities Multicultural Business Directory showcasing businesses owned by a person of color, immigrant, or refugee is available at www.quadcitieschamber.com/mcbd.
The event is presented in partnership with Q2030, Mercado on Fifth, Illinois Small Business Development Center, Illinois Initiative of Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University, and the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. This is the third and final event of a series this summer aimed at connecting multicultural businesses with business service providers and other leaders in the Quad Cities. The Chamber and Illinois Small Business Development Center at Western Illinois University — Quad Cities hosted a Small Business Fair on August 8 and a Minority Business Certification Workshop on June 27.
