Lodi is gearing up to honor their local entrepreneurs with a week-long celebration of National Small Business Week, running from May 4 to May 10, as announced by the city’s authorities. In partnership with the Lodi Chamber of Commerce and San Joaquin County Economic Development Department, the city aims to spotlight the critical role small businesses play in driving the local economy and defining the community’s distinct character. “Small businesses in Lodi are more than just storefronts – they are neighbors, friends, and the heart of our community,” Luis Aguilar, Economic Development Director for the City of Lodi, told Lodi Government’s official website.
The schedule for the week is packed with activities meant to directly support and promote Lodi’s variety of small enterprises. Festivities kick off on Sunday with the Lodi Street Faire, a significant event featuring small business vendors from across the region. The subsequent days will include a series of online and in-person events such as a free webinar on WorkNet Resources and a Business Walk on Cherokee Lane, intended to directly engage with the local small business community. Highlighting the list of ongoing plans, a Proclamation recognizing Small Business Week will be presented at a City Council meeting Wednesday night.
Key financial programs highlighted during this week are the Lodi’s Microloan Program and the County’s Spark Relief Grant, designed to offer support to businesses that may struggle to access traditional capital sources and those recovering from the effects of COVID-19. The combination of these two initiatives underscores the targeted effort to buttress the city’s economic framework. “The success of Lodi’s small businesses affects all of us,” JP Doucette, President & CEO of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, emphasised in comments obtained by the Lodi Government website…