Dear Partners & Members of the LACCC: As we close 2023, we are filled with gratitude for the community that we are building together! 🌟
Gratitude for our #LACCCPartners: We understand how important it is that you have chosen our organization as the beneficiary of your support and strive to demonstrate our impact year-round. In 2023:
1. PROGRAMS: 100 Members graduated from our four signature programs.
2. EVENTS: 15 LACCC events brought over 2,000 people together.
3. COMMUNITY: 16,000 meals distributed to Senior Citizens in our community.
4. MEMBERS: $28,000 distributed as micro-grants to our Members through our Entrepreneurial Hub.
5. TRAINING & ED: 188 vendors on our marketplace ShopLaPlaza.com
6. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: 46 students graduated from our Cultivating Talent Bilingual pipeline.
7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Recruited our first corporate member from Latin America.
8. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Launched our Capital Campaign for our future new home Spark Centro.
9. CONNECTIONS: 37 purposeful and strong Partnerships continue to grow.

Gratitude for our LACCC Members: We sincerely hope that you know that we are building a great community together! Thank you for sharing your personal stories of resilience and triumph with us. Thank you for believing in our mission: To foster the economic growth of the Latino/ Hispanic business community. Thank you for contributing by simply being a member because you want to help, being a member because you value connections and networking, being a member because you value our programs and training, or because you value it all! Thank you!

2024 will bring more opportunities to continue building our network. Our promise to you is that we will be hands-on and continue to do the great work that we did in 2023 and more! Here is a sneak peek of what to expect:
1. PROGRAMMING: One additional signature program to help certify minority owned businesses!
2. EVENTS: One more event in the summer for the entire family to participate!
3. COMMUNITY: An additional site for our Senior Meals program!
4. MEMBERS: Our membership levels will change, adding more flexibility and benefits to all members!
5. TRAINING & ED: Relaunch of Shop La Plaza, adding more training and benefits to vendors.
6. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: The addition of job seeker resumes on our website, “Open to Work”!
7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Support Latin American businesses’ review of the Charlotte region as a home and opportunity to be part of our family.
8. CONNECTIONS: Continue to foster our partnerships and aim to end the year with 600+ guests at our Annual Meeting / Gala 2024. Theme: TBD!

Happy New Year! #SOMOS the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte and together, we're #MakingItHappen!!!

Sincerely,
Gris Bailey President/ CEO