Workshops to Focus on Economic Future

Beginning Tuesday, a consortium of corporate and nonprofit foundations will sponsor a series of nine workshops focusing on community economic development in Pacoima, officials said.

The three-hour free public workshops will meet once a week at Maclay Middle School in Pacoima.

Pacoima was one of three communities chosen from among more than 30 evaluated for the program, said Maria Grace of the Los Angeles Urban Funders, a collaborative organization made up of 30 local foundations, which is co-sponsoring the workshops with the Community Development Technologies Center.

Los Angeles Urban Funders was founded after the 1992 Los Angeles riots to promote economic development in impoverished areas of the city.

“This is mostly an effort to communicate what we are trying to do, which is to put together a comprehensive economic development program,” Grace said.

Workshop topics will vary from week to week. Among the scheduled offerings are workshops titled, “Why Are Poor Communities Poor?” “Making the Job Connection,” “Asset-Building Strategies” and “Rethinking and Reclaiming Pacoima.”

Representatives from local development and social service organizations will speak at the workshops, which are designed to let residents know about community resources available to them, Grace said. Spanish translation services and child care will be available at the workshops.

Information: call (818) 896-6266.