WorkForce Central

From all of the staff at WorkForce Central, we hope you have an amazing day filled with family, friends, and thankfulness. Happy Thanksgiving!

Community Reinvestment in Action: For Tacoma artist Kristina Batiste, a Small Business Grant from WorkForce Central helped her purchase equipment that makes her operation more sustainable and cost-savvy. She was able to purchase a pugmill for her business, Juniper Clay, which makes functional handmade pottery and ceramic art and can now efficiently recycle clay in-house. “This is a HUGE business development win for me,” Kristina said. “It simultaneously makes me a more environmentally friendly business, which is an excellent marketing tool, and it tangibly reduces my costs through waste reduction. These machines have made it possible for me to expand production and take on more business.” Thank you to the Washington State Department of Commerce for partnering with Local Workforce Boards on this initiative that supports small businesses and provides opportunities for them to grow. #localworkforceworks?

Learn more about Deborah Tuggle and the pathway she took in starting Bite?Me!,?Inc., a cookie manufacturing company.??The Pathways Campaign is a series focused on highlighting all of the?pathways?people can take to find quality employment. No two pathways are the same!

Community Reinvestment in Action: Through a Small Business Grant from WorkForce Central, Tacoma artist Dionne Bonner purchased new equipment and infrastructure for her studio. She plans to grow her business with additional employees and/or contractors and, with the enhanced studio space, offer teaching and training opportunities.? Her business, Dionne Bonner Art and Design, provides a diverse range of creative services, including public art, custom paintings, murals, workshops, graphic and website design, community engagement facilitation, and art-inspired products.?? "Using art as a catalyst for community empowerment, we design participatory art experiences that bridge gaps where connection may be undervalued," Dionne said. "Through action-driven, research-focused projects, we align community values with the creative process, facilitating art that enhances spaces and strengthens community bonds."? ? With exhibitions across Washington and internationally, her journey began with a commissioned series honoring Washington State's first African American pioneers. Since then, she has collaborated on numerous public art projects, exhibited in galleries and community spaces, contributed to artist cooperatives, led tactical street art initiatives, and worked closely with organizations on community-centered projects. Each project further enriches our practice and commitment to fostering inclusive, impactful art.? "Receiving this technology and supply grant has truly transformed my art-focused business, providing essential resources that drive creativity, efficiency, and growth," Dionne said. "With an upgraded monitor, I can work across multiple screens in high resolution, which not only enhances my creative output but also reduces eye strain. The financial relief of not having to purchase costly technology and supplies has significantly reduced stress, allowing me to focus more fully on my work. Additionally, the added supplies enable greater scalability and expansion, helping me remain competitive in the field. An important bonus has been the ability to choose more environmentally friendly materials, like eco-conscious paint, which helps protect both my health and the environment."? Thank you to the Washington State Department of Commerce for partnering with Local Workforce Boards on this initiative that supports small businesses and provides opportunities for them to grow. #localworkforceworks?

Our Local WorkForce Board convened today for its regular bi-monthly meeting. In attendance were Korbett Mosesly with the?Washington State Department of Commerce and John Traugott, Executive Director of Washington Workforce Association, to share information about our legislative priorities in this upcoming session, Economic Security for All and the Community Reinvestment Plan. Also discussed during the meeting were updates on Industry Roundtables held by our Business Solutions Team, as well as how we're supporting employees of the upcoming Boeing layoffs through our Rapid Response program. Thank you to our board members who volunteer their time to support our local workforce system by providing valuable guidance and insight into these endeavors.

Meet Nicole Battles, owner of Fluffy Girl Creations, a small business located in Fife, who’s mission is to provide unique fluffy-centric items that promote self-love, care, and acceptance, no matter your size. Learn more about her business and how receiving a Small Business Grant from WorkForce Central is making an impact on her operation. View the full video on our website https://lnkd.in/gnmBa6-t

Congratulations to our Community Engagement Team, Tamar Jackson and Kelly Brickhouse, who were honored as DEAI Champions last week during the first-ever AFP South Sound Philanthropy Awards. More than 100 South Sound philanthropy leaders filled the Tacoma Community College Art Gallery to celebrate the unsung heroes in the philanthropy community.

WorkForce Central staff had a great time connecting and learning with our peers at the Washington Workforce Association Fall Conference held this week in Tacoma. Staff and several of our board members participated in sessions and panel discussions on a number of topics, including serving our justice-impacted and homeless populations, data, working with the unions, and apprenticeships. ? In a powerful panel discussion on the Community Reinvestment Plan and the impact it has had on both job seekers and businesses, Kenneth Sutton, a local job seeker, shared how the WorkSource Pierce network was able to help him overcome obstacles and support him in training and finding quality employment through community reinvestment. It was a moving testimony that further affirms to us that the work we are doing is changing lives and fuels us to continue looking for new ways to innovate and grow in our service delivery. ? Thank you to our partners Tacoma Public Schools and Port of Tacoma for participating in a session with WFC staff sharing about our work around paid internships and career pathways development. And thank you to all the board and staff members who represented WFC with various presentations: Nathaniel Lawver, Deborah Tuggle, Deanna Keller, Christian Reed, Katie Condit, Kelly Brickhouse, Josh Stovall, Samuel Bradshaw, and Kari Haugen.

Community Reinvestment in Action: For Tacoma small business owner Mattice Hoyt, receiving a Small Business Grant from WorkForce Central provided her not only a more efficient means to do business and the ability to hire an additional employee but also safety and security in her operations. Through the Small Business Grant, Mattice was able to purchase a Square point-of-sale system, security cameras, and lockable shelving for her beauty supply business, Mattice Beauty Supply.?? “As a disabled business owner, my disability has made me an easy mark for petty theft,” Mattice said. “With the grant, I was able to get lockable shelving in both my conference room and sales floor, thus opening shelf space behind my counter for more items since now I can put my wigs in locking cases. This grant also allowed me to get items that would benefit my community conference space. Like a refrigerator for our community meals and shelving for art supplies.”? And as a result of acquiring a system that can help with payroll, Mattice says she plans to hire an additional employee.? Thank you to the Washington State Department of Commerce for partnering with Local Workforce Boards on this initiative that supports small businesses and provides opportunities for them to grow. #localworkforceworks?

Learn more about how WorkSource JBLM was able to support Jaydon in pursuing a new career as he transitioned out of the military.