Reginald Alceus

Outlook Staff Writer

More than two dozen minority business owners were invited to take part in the Live Communications, Inc.’s Small Business Summit, held at the Roley Poley Deli last Saturday. The gathering was an earnest attempt by its sponsor to unite and encourage cooperation among small business owners for the betterment of the community.

“The purpose of this event is to come together as a people of faith and decide how we, in the 21st century, begin to strengthen small businesses in general and African-American businesses in particular,” said R.B. Holmes, pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. “I believe now is the best time for us to come together. We come in order to share our successes, strengthen our businesses and support one another.”

Although designed to accomplish many things, the summit was intended to deduce among minority business owners and entrepreneurs how to speak in a unified voice.

“I think Rev. Holmes made a good presentation today,” said Judy Jones Colston, representing the Florida Black Business Investment Board. “Many of the things that he said, of course, need a lot more exploration, and we need to develop greater understanding of the intricacies that are involved in bringing those things to fruition in the community.”

Colston said she strongly believed that small businesses, particularly minority-owned businesses, were the pillar of any community, greatly contributing to its economy and survival. This, she said, was an “obligation” of the black community to support black businesses.

“In the state of Florida, 87 percent of businesses employ 50 or fewer people, and yet 90 percent of the resources the state puts out go to big business; yet we say small businesses are creating the jobs,” said Colston. “So if small businesses are creating the economy and creating the jobs, shouldn’t our resources by and large be going to support small businesses?”

Bob Kenon, owner of Cornucopia Wealth Management, was delighted he and other business owners could refocus their thoughts and visions on what they need to do as black businesses for the black community, particularly, in Frenchtown and the Southside. It was an opportunity to mobilize with the Southside Chamber so that they could be represented more effectively within the community and among different governments, Kenon said.

“The cooperation between small businesses can empower the community by enabling it to become much more knowledgeable about what’s happening at the city level, county level, state level and even at its private sector-business level,” Colston said. “The black business community in Tallahassee has got to become much more knowledgeable and sophisticated in knowing who to hold accountable for what and to be able to step up to the plate and take advantage of opportunities that are out there for them. As Fredrick Douglass said, Power can seize nothing, it never has and it never will.

Colston said the meeting would be integral in fostering a vehicle such as the Capital City Chamber of Commerce to be the “leadership tool in the area.” She believed one of the most positive examples of progress to emerge from the summit was the dialogue and opportunity for business owners to talk with each other and share their ideas on how they could support one another.

“On behalf of the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, we’re absolutely excited since one of the things they talked about was how to strengthen and empower the Chamber to be more effective in the community, and so I was thoroughly impressed with the caliber of attendees and with the message,” said Windell Paige, senior executive vice president of ESP Media Corp., and president of the Capital City Chamber of Commerce.

George Clark III, owner of Temple Fitness, said knowing that the Chamber of Commerce was there to involve others in the community and provide support for the businesses and advertising would further help businesses in the black community. The advantage in cooperating with each other, he said, would be collaboration between businesses and the offering of services. However, he also believed that having black-owned businesses was crucial for the youth of the community.

“Young kids need role models in business and a lot of times, they don’t get that with the mainstream (culture),” Clark said. “They don’t see black men owning their own companies or businesses so I think in that sense, with young people coming up, it would help the black community seeing African-Americans owning their own businesses and to know they could do those things also.”

Some of the other ideas discussed were the Christian Entrepreneur’s Breakfast, something Paige said he would like to see hosted once a month by different faith-based organizations. Such an idea, he said would be “conducive to networking and effective communications between organizations.” Other topics addressed were an airport expansion project, jobs that are “coming down the pike,” getting on state term contracts and giving back as Christian business people.

“It’s always good to know that you’re not in this battle alone,” said Paige. “It’s good to know that some of the same challenges that you might have as an entrepreneur, other business people have as entrepreneurs and as business entities.”

On Sunday, the summit was extended to include a service by the Rev. Holmes, who spoke about how faith plays a role in the success and foundation of small businesses. Many of the business owners in attendance shared the Rev. Holmes sentiments.

“I think this was absolutely awesome,“ said Silvia DuPont, owner of DuPont Insurance Agency. “I admire Rev. Holmes for thinking about the business community and the fact that we do work hard to try and support the community and give back. They support us, and we need to support them back. I think it is also important that he talked to these young people about entrepreneurship. In the bad economy we live in today, I think it’s good that young people know that they have options.”

“I don’t think you can begin your day without faith,” said Sue Dick, president of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. “I think with this community, without the foundations of business and jobs and individuals being able to take care of themselves, you really can’t move your community forward without faith or understanding how God plays a role in that. You really can’t accomplish anything without that faith.”

Reginald Alceus can be reached at realceus@capitaloutlook.com

Ricardo Lewis

Associate Editor

In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The act’s passage, sparked Sarita Carter to jump into action by helping out the people in her community.

Carter founded Step One, a temporary placement agency that was designed to help disadvantage workers find employment in 1998. The agency took upon the task of helping people to develop the skills necessary for today’s demanding employment market.

“My desire was to help welfare to workforce recipients get back to work,” said Carter. “We had our first graduating class in 2001 and from that class, 93 percent of them are currently employed.”

Carter attended Florida State University before relocating to Atlanta, Ga. While in Atlanta, she worked for CNN Headline News, where she did video and copy-editing. She returned to Tallahassee in 1989, where she worked for the state of Florida, until she resigned in order to focus on starting her own business.

Since opening its doors, Carter said that Step One has helped nearly 800 people from the community become employed. Step One maintains a working relationship with several local businesses in order to help find quick and continuous placement for the people who seek placement services from the agency, including FAMU and Florida State University.

Part of the mission of Step One services is to help strengthen the African-American community in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas. In order to achieve that goal Step One partners with several different community organizations in an effort to help those who otherwise are unable to find employment.

“We currently work with the Tallahassee Homeless Coalition in an effort to try and help the homeless gain employment,” Carter said.

Carter sponsors a free clothes closet on the outside of her building located at 1102 S. Adams Street. She said that she believes that it is imperative for the people in the community, especially the African-American community to help each other.

“I once heard that you should be afraid to die until you have done something for your community,” Carter said.

The idea of strengthening community is something that Carter said can be done by allowing people the opportunity to gain employment. She explains that she plans to lobby for ex-felons to be allowed to return to the work force upon their release for prison.

“I think that a system that frowns upon convicted felons returning to the workforce is keeping a lot of people out of work, especially a lot of young black men,” Carter said.

Step One has adapted to the needs of society and is providing a new focus on helping people to find work in the construction market.

Carter stated that part of her vision is to have Step One programs up and running throughout the states of Florida and Georgia within the next five years. Her ultimate goal is to open up branches of the business throughout the United States.

According to Carter, Step One has 32 full-time employees. These employees provide services, ranging from clerical to janitorial, throughout Tallahassee and the surrounding areas.

Nova2010 Bus Stop Locations Open for Public Input

On Thursday, September 2, StarMetro will hold two Listening Sessions to garner feedback from bus patrons about the proposed bus stop locations for its route decentralization project known as Nova2010. The first session will take place from 7 to 9 a.m., and the second session will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Both sessions will take place in C.K. Steele Plaza. Bus patrons who cannot attend these Listening Sessions may view the bus stop location maps online and email feedback to nova2010project@talgov.com or starmetro@talgov.com and/or call StarMetro’s main office at 850-891-5200.

The proposed Nova2010 bus stop locations come from a thorough bus stop analysis, which took place over the summer, with input from a consultant and citizen/bus operator group. Additionally, the Transit Advisory Group, a Mayor-appointed citizen group, consulted StarMetro Planners on the proposed bus stop locations.

Currently, StarMetro utilizes 1,052 bus stops spread out across the City of Tallahassee. Most of these bus stops are fairly close to one another, less than a quarter of a mile. According to the preliminary bus stop analysis, the Nova2010 decentralized system would utilize 738 bus stops. Of these 738 bus stops, 473 currently exist in today’s system, and 265 are brand-new bus stops. These new bus stops would be placed along corridors that are not served today and that would be served in the Nova2010 system – corridors, such as North Monroe Street, Magnolia Drive, Capital Circle NE/SE and portions of Orange Avenue and Blair Stone Road. Most of the Nova2010 bus stops would be placed within three-tenths of a mile from one another and at major intersections and trip generators.

StarMetro’s Nova2010 route decentralization project aims to take the current downtown oriented route structure and break apart each route to create a more grid-like route structure with routes running from north to south and east to west, many bypassing downtown’s C.K. Steele Plaza. The City Commission approved the project last spring.

For more information, please call StarMetro’s main office at 850-891-5200 or visit Talgov.com/starmetro. For additional project updates, please call the Nova2010 hotline at 850-891-5283 or email nova2010project@talgov.com. Citizens may also follow updates on Facebook at Facebook.com/starmetrotransit.

RB Holmes, Jr.

Capital Outlook Publisher

It is time for a serious and sustained effort to strengthen small businesses in general, and African-American businesses in particular. Several weeks ago in this column, I stated that economic development and entrepreneurship would be a major initiative.

We feel strongly that a strong economy, a growing economy and a stable economy will create hope and opportunities. In this community and really in most communities, small businesses are the most viable and vibrant economic engines. Small businesses create over 70 percent of our jobs.

This weekend Live Communications, inc. will host a Business Summit. We will bring together over 25 businesses to begin a unique and live discussion focused on how this community can help grow and sustain minority businesses. We hope that this summit will generate a workable strategy where about we will support and strengthen businesses.

This is why this election season is critically important. The Capital Outlook Editorial Board was and is committed in supporting candidates who understand the power of wealth building and job creation. This is why we are extremely committed to the candidacy of Kristin Dozier.

Ms Dozier, is vice president of Mad Dog Construction. She has values and a clear vision when it comes to economic empowerment. Moreover, this Sunday at the Bethel Church will be Small Business Appreciation Sunday. During the service we will honor the Tallahassee Greater Chamber of Commerce, the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Council. These business organizations understand the importance and significance of developing an infrastructure that will spur a stable economy.

Also, we will salute and recognize many small businesses for their unwavering commitment to business excellence and ethnics. Starting the first week in September, the Capital Outlook will recognize a Business of the Month. It is our sincere goal to partner with the business community in a renewed effort to generate more jobs for our people.

Let me be clear, when people are employed they will be able to stay in their homes, stay in the community, spend money in our communities and enhance the overall quality of life. Please join us as we move forward to build a better economic climate in our beloved city and county.

Be Encouraged!

Harry C. Alford

NNPA Columnist

Beyond the Rhetoric

The terms Green Jobs and Green Business have been used millions of times over the last few years. President Obama even created a position of Director of Green Jobs (now inactive).

I asked that Green Jobs guru just what is a green job and he never fully explained it to me. Such is the case with this new concept. No one has stopped to adequately define it or declare what is and is not a green job. Thus, there is much confusion and an atmosphere for opportunists to claim that their way or method is the correct process in hopes of making quick money or gaining new power. The whole thing is a mess, and we need much direction.

However, there is certainty that new ways of harnessing and creating energy are coming quickly and that efforts to protect or improve our environment are mandatory for a safe future. Therefore, the National Black Chamber of Commerce has decided to take a leadership position in this arena. Our definition of a green business is: An enterprise interacting in the “Energy Efficiency Industry” and offers environmental protection or improvement. Alternative energy, renewable energy, clean energy, reduction of carbon emissions and energy reduction are key examples of what this is all about.

Green jobs are simply those occupations that are directly related to the above enterprise activity. One of our members has a product that will reduce energy consumption of air conditioners. It improves the cooling output and reduces the energy costs involved in the process. This is an energy business and those producing the products and selling them are energy employees. That is, they are in a green business and employed in green jobs.

We have another member who will be putting huge turbines into the Mississippi River to harness the natural water currents and transform that energy into electrical power for utility plants along the river from Louisiana to Illinois. This will be a form of renewable energy. It is a green business, and those employees involved in this effort from beginning to end have green jobs.

Five years ago, we had no one in the solar energy business. Now, there are hundreds of such companies, and more than a few are doing $100 million or more in sales per year and have yet to slow their growth. Green businesses are growing by leaps and bounds and creating more green jobs. To say this is super exciting would be an understatement. Yes, we are more than “knee deep” in the green business/green job sectors. All of a sudden we desire to be a key resource in it. Right now, we are constructing a viable partnership with key principals in this arena.

Our mission: to illustrate that our partnership will help create jobs by ensuring minority participation in the Recovery Act (Stimulus Bill) “Retrofit Ramp-up” grant. This partnership will also help leverage a robust training initiative to upgrade skills and certifications, making minority contractors more marketable and successful in future initiatives. We are going to formally teach weatherization skills (housing and commercial) to individuals. We will be targeting public housing residents and those living under the poverty level. We are going to gift them with skills that will increase their potential for employment for the rest of their lives. We are going to provide certification courses for our up and coming entrepreneurs in subjects such as LEED and the federal ENERGY STAR performance requirements. The businesses will become ready for contracts and will hire the workforce we simultaneously will be preparing for them.

Black folks, this is our great opportunity to catch onto this at the beginning phase. We want thousands of businesses ready for the transformation to Green Businesses and hundreds of thousands of workers trained and ready to be employed by them. Housing, commercial buildings, public entities such as schools, city, county, state and federal buildings are there waiting to be weatherized, audited and enhanced for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. If we do this thing right, it can become a great equalizer in our current anemic economic status.

We are going to start immediately in the state of Virginia. From there we will stretch out into the Southeastern United States (Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana). After successfully penetrating these geographical areas, we will move across the United States.

Our Energy Committee will be assigned this mission. Look out, green businesses and green jobs are coming to your neighborhood, and the National Black Chamber of Commerce is leading the way. Those wanting more information on this initiative or to see when it will be coming to your community can inquire at info@nationalbcc.org or go to the NBCC website at www.nationalbcc.org, or ask your local black chamber if it is affiliated with the NBCC.

Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc®. Website: www.nationalbccorg. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.

RICARDO LEWIS
Associate Editor

Attorneys Benjamin Crump and Daryl Parks are known as two of the most prominent African-American attorneys in the Tallahassee area. Now the hard work and advocacy that has set Parks and Crump Law Firm apart is being recognized on a national level. On Aug. 9-13, the National Bar Association held its annual convention in New Orleans, La. During the convention, Parks was elected to serve as president of the association.

“It is an honor to represent over 44,000 lawyers, judges, and law students of color,” said Parks. “It brings me great joy to know that the National Bar Association is making sure that our community has access to justice.” Parks, who has been a member of the NBA since 1995, said that he has had a wonderful experience being an NBA member. He explained that the work that the NBA does in the African-American community and around the world is what attracted him to becoming a member of the association.

At the convention, Crump received the “Excellence in Activism” award from the organization. Crump was recently named one of the nation’s top 40 African-American lawyers under the age of 40 by the organization. From that list of 40, online voting took place to determine who would be the recipient of the Excellence in Activism award.

“I feel that the award is a tremendous honor because what we try to do more than anything is make a difference in our community,” said Crump. Both attorneys expressed that it is working with and helping the people of the community that has been their inspiration for achieving great things in the Tallahassee community and beyond. They believe that it is through their partnership at the law firm and their vision of advocacy that they can continue to help those who are less fortunate.

The law firm which has been in operation since 1996, manifested from a necessary bond that was formed by the two attorneys while they were in law school. “We noticed that we were the only two individuals who came from poor single mother families. We decided early on that we were going to have to stick together,” Crump said.

Parks further explained their success as partners. “We share the same vision of how you should fight for justice. It makes it all worth it when you help the people who really need help.” For Parks, being a lawyer is one of the most rewarding aspects of the legal system. He says that he has no future aspirations of becoming a judge or moving up the judicial ladder because he enjoys the work and the freedom he has to help people as an attorney.

“I think the greatest thing in the legal system is the lawyers. When someone walks into a lawyer’s office, the lawyer listens to their stories; then the lawyer decides if they want to pour themselves and their resources into helping that person,” Parks said. “As a judge you only hear the cases that come before you; that kind of limits them. Take a look in our community; there are leaders in our community, such as John Marks and Alan Katz, people who make it happen every day.”

Crump noted that the Excellence in Advocacy award and the election of Parks as president of the NBA are not just accolades for the duo to hang up in the office of the law firm. “It was Charles Houston that said ‘A lawyer is either a social engineer for justice or he is a parasite on society.’ I think at Parks and Crump we would rather be social engineers,” Crump said.

According to its website, the National Bar Association was founded in 1925. The association serves as the nation’s oldest and largest network of predominately African-American attorneys and judges.

Special to the Outlook

The city of Tallahassee has been awarded a $1.2 million federal grant using Recovery Act funds to assist with the expansion of broadband services in local low-income neighborhoods. Vice President Joe Biden announced the grant awards. Tallahassee is one of 94 communities throughout the nation to receive the broadband project funding.

Tallahassee’s grant application was a collaborative effort between the office of Mayor John Marks and the city’s Information Systems Services Division. The Tallahassee City Commission will review the grant award from the U.S. Department of Commerce next month. If approved by the Commission, funds from the $1,212,020 grant will be applied to use broadband technology to enhance workforce skills, educational opportunities and digital literacy among Tallahassee’s low-income or low-literacy residents. Specific initiatives include improving the technology facility in the Apalachee Ridge neighborhood and continuing the efforts of the Digital Harmony project centered at Nims Middle School.

“I’m proud of the combined efforts by my office and City staff that led to this award,” said Mayor Marks. “I want to thank Vice President Biden and federal officials for recognizing Tallahassee’s proactive stance on using technological resources to help economically disadvantaged citizens of all ages in our city.” In addition to helping bridge the digital divide by improving broadband access to underserved areas of the community, the funds will provide an economic development boost locally, as jobs are created or expanded to assist with the expanded Internet coverage and resulting efforts by local businesses and schools.

CHARLENE
CROWELL
NNPA Financial Writer

The more things change, the more they stay the same is an old adage whose truth is illustrated repeatedly when it comes to the true costs of credit. Despite the benefit of federal or state laws, many consumers are often puzzled about financing terms and charges for an array of products and services. There is nothing that predatory payday and title lenders like more than not disclosing to their customers how small dollar, short-term loans carry interest rates upwards of 400 percent. In fact, they say repeatedly and publicly that annual percentage rate (APR) does not matter. They also have a habit of denying that these small loans wind up taking months if not years to repay due to the fee charges that typically far outweigh the loan principal.

APR concerns are also at the crux of numerous lending products from foreclosures to credit cards and more. Ironically, more than four decades ago, Congress enacted the Truth in Lending Act, also known as TILA. Its intent was to ensure that all lenders disclose the APR for all types of loans. Even then, lending disclosures were thought to be essential to consumers understanding how best they could accomplish financial transactions. With full disclosure of terms, consumers could shop competitive prices and enter into transactions they would both understand and afford.

Illinois’ late Senator Paul Douglas, TILA’s coauthor, advised 42 years ago that the then-new law would give consumers “the right to be informed, and to be protected against fraudulent, deceitful, or grossly misleading information.” Despite TILA’S federal mandate, the payday lending industry promoted its products on a fee basis, rather than APR. The industry practice was so widespread that, in 2000, the Federal Reserve Board clarified that APR disclosures were specifically required for payday loans, cash advances, deferred deposit checks and other similar products. So why in 2010 is the payday industry continuing to downplay the APR, preferring to talk about fees instead? Moreover, why does this industry resist TILA, especially in communities of color where CRL research has determined a concentration of payday and title lending stores?

Earlier this year, the National Newspaper Publishers Association hosted a debate on this issue during its midwinter conference. Two representatives from Advance America, one of the largest payday loan operators, debated two representatives of the Center for Responsible Lending. Despite Advance America’s insistent claims that APR did not matter, NNPA publishers independently and vocally spoke to the contrary. Publishers from varied regions of the country all questioned the Advance America representatives about their abusive practices.

Mr. Bob Bogle, of the Philadelphia Tribune, was perhaps the most direct in countering Advance America, saying in part, “There is something wrong with the way you do business.” As an organization pledged to building family wealth and opposing predatory lending in all of its forms, the Center for Responsible Lending is encouraged that 16 states and the District of Columbia have effectively banned triple-digit interest on payday lending. CRL is further encouraged by the state attorneys general who are enforcing their rate caps by litigating against Internet payday lenders.

As the new Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform Act moves towards the formation of a federal consumer watchdog agency, it will likely take a combination of federal and state enforcement efforts to finally end this legalized loan-sharking. Among the historic legislation’s major provisions are grants to help families connect to bank accounts and provide funding to Community Development Financial Institutions to create alternatives to payday loans.

In terms of regulation, the new agency will have three central duties: rulemaking, supervision and enforcement over nonbank entities, including payday lenders. The struggle for fairness and transparency in financial transactions must continue with the active engagement of consumers, community leaders and government officials at all levels. To review debate highlights featuring remarks by three NNPA publishers, go to: http:// www.responsiblelending. org/allies/.

Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s communications manager for state policy and outreach. She can be reached at: Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.

Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief

As the black unemployment rate rose slightly last month, President Obama has signed the long awaited jobs bill with hopes of turning around employment rates, which for African-Americans still nearly doubles the national average of 9.5 percent.

“The Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010 will create jobs, help American companies compete, and strengthen manufacturing as a key driver of our economic recovery,” Obama said during a bill signing ceremony at the White House last week. “To make their products, manufacturers—some of whom are represented here today—often have to import certain materials from other countries and pay tariffs on those materials. This legislation will reduce or eliminate some of those tariffs, which will significantly lower costs for American companies across the manufacturing landscape—from cars to chemicals; medical devices to sporting goods. And that will boost output, support good jobs here at home, and lower prices for American consumers.”

Obama’s stroke of the pen will not wipe out all of the damage done during the economic crisis that started in earnest during the Bush administration. But, there are high hopes in black communities where the jobless rate reached back to 15.6 percent last month, up from 15.4 in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment among black males though— dropped significantly from its high of 19 percent in March of this year—is still at 16.7 percent, nearly twice the overall average for whites’ rate of 8.6 and the white male rate of 8.8 percent. There is contention among some that Obama may need to take specific actions to help quell the disparate economic suffering in the black community.

“Unemployment rates for African-Americans and Latinos remain unacceptably high at 15.6 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, highlighting the disproportionate impact the recession has had and the need for targeted efforts to address chronic unemployment,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-Calif). in a statement. In the President’s bill signing statement, there was no specific mention of the black unemployment rate. However, earlier this month, Obama acknowledged to thousands at the National Urban League Convention that black communities had already been hit substantially by the economy before he ever took office.

“The African- American unemployment rate was already much higher, the incomes and wealth of African-American families already lower,” he said. “There was less of a cushion. Many minority communities—whether in big cities or rural towns— had seen businesses and opportunities vanish for years, stores boarded up, young people hanging out on the street corners without prospects for the future.” He added, “So when we came into office, we focused not just on rescuing our economy in the short run, but rebuilding our economy for the long run—creating an economy that lifts up all Americans.” He also told the NUL crowd that certain actions by his administration have been intended to at least respond to the black unemployment rate, including “making sure civil rights and antidiscrimination laws are enforced.”

Meanwhile, the issue that was predicted to be his toughest is measuring up to its expectations, Obama said: “Now, we knew from the beginning that reversing the damage done by the worst financial crisis and the deepest recession in generations would take some time—more time than anyone would like. And we knew that it would require an ongoing effort across all fronts.”

Despite assertions that the recession is ending, many Americans are still out of work and continue to have trouble finding employment. Since 2000, a steady increase in unemployment has contributed to a lack of employer-sponsored insurance coverage. Without health coverage, many have difficulty accessing needed medical care, including prescription medicines.

The national unemployment rate is uncharacteristically high at nearly 10 percent, and has been for more than a year. Minority populations struggle the most, with over 15 percent of the African-American population and over 12 percent of the Hispanic population currently unemployed. Data suggest that the high unemployment rate means an increase in uninsured individuals.

Without employer based insurance coverage, many uninsured patients lack access to a medical home and ultimately forego preventative health care measures, which are critical to maintaining good health. Millicent Gorham, executive director of the National Black Nurses Association, recommends patient assistance programs as a way for patients to gain access to the medicines they need if they become unemployed and uninsured.

“Without insurance coverage, many people fail to receive the medical care they need, especially when it comes to their prescription drugs,” says Gorham. “African-Americans are particularly at risk. Many pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs to help patients in need get access to prescription medicines. These programs can be a huge help when folks are struggling to make ends meet.”

One patient assistance program, the Pfizer MAINTAIN Program, was developed to help eligible, unemployed patients continue to take their Pfizer medicines despite losing their prescription drug coverage. July marks the one year anniversary of the MAINTAIN program, which is part of Pfizer’s family of patient assistance programs, Pfizer Helpful Answers. Pfizer Helpful Answers and the Wyeth patient assistance programs have helped nearly six million uninsured and underinsured patients get access to more than 48 million prescriptions in the past five years (2005-2010) alone.

Last year, Emmanuel Stone was laid off from his job as an IT engineer in Independence, Mo. and lost his insurance coverage. When he learned of the MAINTAIN program, he applied, his eligibility was verified and he was accepted within only a few weeks. “The MAINTAIN program has allowed me to get the Pfizer prescription medicines I could not have gotten otherwise during these difficult times,” said Stone. “I wish more programs like this existed.”

“We launched our first patient assistance program at Pfizer more than 20 years ago,” said Gary Pelletier, director and team leader of Pfizer Helpful Answers. “Since then, we’ve evolved our programs to meet the changing needs of people who don’t have prescription insurance. Our still-struggling economy is evidence that these programs are still highly important, especially to individuals who are recently without their medical coverage.”

If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more information about Pfizer’s patient assistance programs or to check your eligibility status, call 1-866- 706-2400 or visit www. PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com.