The Engine of Job Creation.

Posted by Garfield Group on 20 December 2011 | 0 Comments

U.S. small businesses are the engine of job creation. The premise for Create Jobs for USA is that we can help Americans get back to work by providing small businesses in underserved communities greater access to capital.

According to Fortune Magazine (Nov 1, 2011), "Even though widely cited surveys suggest they continue having a gloomy picture of the economy, small businesses are actually hiring considerably more than big companies. Since last March, firms with 500 or fewer employees have added 60,000 jobs a month to private payroll employment ‘while large businesses have added nothing,' says Paul Dales, an economist with Capital Economics, citing ADP employment surveys."

The challenge for small business is access to capital. One in three small businesses say they can't get adequate financing to fuel their enterprises. And the financing squeeze is stifling their potential for growth. This is even more of an issue for businesses in underserved communities - where unemployment, recently measured at 9.1% for the entire U.S labor force, spikes to 11.3% within the Hispanic community, and 16.7% within the African-American community.

This was this inspiration for Create Jobs for USA, an ambitious program jointly created by Starbucks and our client, Opportunity Finance Network.

By purchasing an "Indivisible" wristband, you can make a real difference -contributing to the goal of creating and sustaining jobs in the USA. Donations go directly to Opportunity Finance Network, where their members, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), turn these donations into loans for worthy small businesses.

CDFIs finance community businesses that often find it challenging to secure financing from conventional financing institutions. Combining innovation and determination, these hand-selected CDFIs are performance-oriented, responsible, and affordable lenders that spark job growth in the areas where it is needed most.

A donation to Create Jobs for USA is a great holiday gift for you, your friends and family, and, more importantly, it's a gift that can help the economy start growing again.

Stronger communities. More economic opportunity for all. Better lives for all. We are indivisible.

Learn more about Create Jobs for USA by visiting our holiday page garfieldgroup.com/holiday2011, or CreateJobsforUSA.org.