September 7, 2004
ADVOCAP Wins $105,000 Microenterprise Development Grant
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Tom Petri reports that ADVOCAP, Inc., of Fond du Lac, has been awarded a $105,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to continue operating its Refugee Microenterprise Development Program in Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago Counties.
"This program is designed to help refugees become self- sufficient and to create jobs," Petri said.
ADVOCAP Deputy Director Tony Beregszazi said that the program provides bilingual services which help refugees develop ideas for businesses and obtain seed money. The types of businesses created so far have been "all across the board," he said, including Asian groceries, small manufacturers and farming. "We have one guy growing a unique oriental mushroom," he said.
Beregszazi noted that at any one time ADVOCAP is helping
about 150 low-income entrepreneurs, mostly American citizens, to
become economically independent. "If we don't provide this type
of assistance where we can help them create jobs, then we would
just be causing them to be dependent on society," he said.
