LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the Business Outreach Center Network
upon the occasion of its 2011 Celebrating Entrepreneurship Luncheon
commemorating 15 years of helping low and moderate income entrepreneurs

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organiza-
tions and individuals that are devoted to the welfare of the community
and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the
Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network upon the occasion of its 2011
Celebrating Entrepreneurship Luncheon commemorating 15 years of helping
low and moderate income entrepreneurs; this auspicious occasion will be
celebrated at the organization's annual luncheon, to be held on Friday,
May 6, 2011, at the Battery Gardens Restaurant in Lower Manhattan; and
WHEREAS, Piloted in 1989, and expanded citywide in 1992, the BOC
Network is a multi-community coalition dedicated to community capacity-
building and small business development in some of New York City and
Newark, New Jersey's, most ethnically diverse and isolated neighbor-
hoods; and
WHEREAS, BOC Network was instituted in response to the growing aware-
ness that thousands of enterprises across New York City were being hand-
icapped by their limited access to credit and technical-assistance
services; the problem was especially acute for the BOC Network's target
client base: minority, immigrant and female entrepreneurs, who often
operate in isolation from mainstream markets, and whose businesses are
located in low- to moderate-income communities; and
WHEREAS, Minority, immigrant and female entrepreneurs are often key
sources of jobs for the residents of the neighborhoods they are in or
they serve; the BOC Network initiative was conceived as a way to break
through their isolation and to close the technical-assistance gap limit-
ing their prosperity and growth, one of the benefits of which would be
the stabilization of local economies; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the BOC Network is to improve the economic
prospects of traditionally disadvantaged groups and communities; it has
at its heart a belief that whatever their differences, people and commu-
nities share a common goal: economic stability and growth; and
WHEREAS, A hallmark of the BOC Network is genuine collaboration, work-
ing together with culturally diverse individuals and organizations in
service to a shared goal; and
WHEREAS, The BOC Network ensures that small businesses and entrepre-
neurs in low-income neighborhoods have a chance to succeed at the crit-
ical moment by providing flexible microenterprise financing coupled with
business counseling, training and mentoring; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1996, the BOC Network has provided
one-on-one technical assistance to more than 19,000 clients, and has
been successful in facilitating millions of dollars for small business;
and
WHEREAS, At its 2011 luncheon, BOC Network celebrates the success of
local small businesses and entrepreneurs and commemorates 15 years of
helping low and moderate income entrepreneurs, including providing
millions of dollars in capital and support for future capital access
goals; and
WHEREAS, The 2011 BOC Awards Celebrating Entrepreneurship will honor
small businesses in Green Microenterprise, Microenterprise Excellence,
Microbusiness Advancement, Small Business Success and Community Impact,

as well as Child Care Business Development; the event will ultimately
support microenterprise programming targeted to low-income and disadvan-
taged entrepreneurs throughout New York City; and
WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion presents a unique opportunity for
this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to the BOC Network;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when an organ-
ization of such noble aims and accomplishments is brought to our atten-
tion, it should be recognized and applauded by all the citizens of this
great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Business Outreach Center Network upon the occasion of its 2011
Celebrating Entrepreneurship Luncheon commemorating 15 years of helping
low and moderate income entrepreneurs; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Business Outreach Center Network, Inc., 85 South Oxford
Street, Brooklyn, New York 11217.