CLEVELAND – In an effort to better help minority-owned construction companies in Cleveland, the Sherwin-Williams Foundation and the Urban League of Greater Cleveland (Cleveland, OH) have partnered to begin a new Construction Accelerator Program (CAP).

The pilot program will have minority-owned businesses access to business resources currently unavailable to them. Resources such mentorship, access to capital, education on processes and construction management tools. Businesses would also be able to qualify for business loans through UBIZ Venture Capital, which operates via the Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Center.

Both sides are excited about the partnership.

BUFFALO – In the wake of the mass killing in Buffalo on May 14th, the Buffalo Urban League (Buffalo, NY) has begun to host mental health sessions to assist the community.

The Urban League partnered with the Erie County Department of Mental Health to hold these sessions, which are free of charge to the public. A free clinic was held this past Sunday, May 22nd at Johnnie B. Wiley, which is located around four blocks from where the tragedy occurred.

The horrific racially motivated mass killing took place at the Jefferson Avenue Tops supermarket. Ten people died, with three wounded.

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(WASHINGTON) -  Today, civil rights leaders met with Attorney General Merrick Garland to discuss the May 14 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, and the Department of Justice’s role in addressing the spread of white supremacy across social media platforms and hate crimes tearing through Black communities across America.

“Long past time for a whole-of-society response,” insist National Urban League, Anti-Defamation League, League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC, National Action Network

In an effort to help fight childhood hunger and promote education, Denny’s launched the Hungry for Education™ Scholarship program in 2011, and has since awarded more than $1.5 million in combined scholarships to elementary, high school and college students across the country. 

In September, Denny's identified the National Urban League as a strategic partner, to award scholarships to Project Ready students that submitted essays on how Denny's can help bring communities together, and one student will be selected by Denny’s to have their idea be put into action in their community.

KNOXVILLE – The Knoxville Urban League (Knoxville, TN) has partnered with The Tennessee Office of Reentry to help those with a criminal record get a fresh start.

At an event on Wednesday, May 11th, the Office of Reentry, a new department created by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, joined an expungement clinic held by the Urban League’s RISE Reentry Taskforce. The expungement clinic helps those with criminal records clean up their records so they’re able to easily access social services.

The goal of this partnership is to help those with criminal records transition back into the workforce.

COLUMBUS – The Columbus Urban League (Columbus, OH) is looking to spotlight those that are making a difference in their community.

The Urban League will be hosting “HerStory Makers”, an event that will honor three amazing women and community leaders that are making a positive impact in their community. This year, the event’s premise on those who are living a legacy of service and commitment to others.

Columbus Urban League President, Stephanie Hightower, said of the event, “It’s an opportunity for black women, in particular, to be discovered. That their excellence is discovered and they are not only women who are surviving but thriving in the community.”