Albuquerque City Council Allocates $50,000 For South Valley Economic Development Center Kitchen

Nov. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- *Albuquerque, NM* – The Albuquerque City Council this week allocated $50,000 to the South Valley Economic Development Center's (SVEDC's) commercial kitchen to provide increased support for start-up local food companies, including marketing, technical, and business support as well as outreach to potential new businesses. By a unanimous vote the Council passed the resolution.

“For the last 12 months, the number of new businesses coming to us every month to start new businesses has double,” said SVEDC Executive Director Tony Gallegos. “People who have been laid off, seen their retirement accounts decline, or need another way to earn a living, and now we have the resources to continue to help them be successful. We appreciate their support, and will use it to help New Mexicans during this difficult economic time."

City Councilors Ken Sanchez and Isaac Benton co-sponsored the resolution, which received bipartisan support at the Council meeting. Over the last three years, the Kitchen has helped create 35 kitchen businesses and over 80 jobs for New Mexicans. The SVEDC's Kitchen helps new kitchen users get started and grow by providing training as well as connecting users to local retailers, distributors, and other local supporting businesses, and provides support through partnerships with the New Mexico Community LoanFund, SCORE, WESST, Accion, and the South Valley Small Business Development Center.

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The South Valley Economic Development Center is a collaborative effort between Bernalillo County and the Rio Grande Community Development Corporation. The SVEDC serves as both the business incubator for clients located in the building and commercial kitchen users, and as an economic development catalyst for the unincorporated area of the South Valley.

The 15,000 square foot Center supports local growers and business by providing a site for manufacturing and establishing networks among businesses, growers, distributors and retailers. It also provides technical assistance in the development of small business and educational and media campaigns.