White House News
In Case You Missed It: Broad Bipartisan Support to Extend the Production Tax Credit - Wed, 23 May 2012
Tomorrow the President will travel to TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa where he will highlight steps Congress can take right now to create American jobs, and support American companies and manufacturers – all while continuing to increase clean energy production here at home.
As part of his Congressional To-Do List, the President will call on Congress to pass legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) – which provides an important tax credit to utility-scale wind producers in the United States – alongside an expansion of the 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit that supports American-made clean energy manufacturing in towns and cities across the country. According to industry estimates, the wind industry supports nearly 20,000 direct jobs along with over 30,000 manufacturing jobs in its supply chain, and some in industry have estimated that without extending the PTC, as the President is calling for, up to 37,000 jobs could be lost.
President Obama Touts a New American Century to Air Force Grads - Wed, 23 May 2012
President Barack Obama salutes graduating cadets as they cross the stage at the United States Air Force Academy commencement ceremony at Falcon Stadium, USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 23, 2012. President Obama delivered the commencement address at the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Four years ago, when President Obama made his first trip to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the class of 2012 was just beginning their tenure as cadets.
Today, he returned to deliver their commencement address. Acknowledging the continued need for the leadership and service the new graduates will provide, President Obama said the next century will be an American one:
I see an American Century because of the character of our country -- the spirit that has always made us exceptional. That simple yet revolutionary idea -- there at our founding and in our hearts ever since -- that we have it in our power to make the world anew, to make the future what we will. It is that fundamental faith -- that American optimism -- which says no challenge is too great, no mission is too hard. It’s the spirit that guides your class: "Never falter, never fail."
Approximately, 1,000 cadets graduated today and will soon begin their commissions as second lieutenants. Before leaving Falcon Field the President shook each of their hands.
Read his full remarks here.
SBA Announces National Small Business Week Video Contest Winners - Wed, 23 May 2012
At the U.S. Small Business Administration, we have the great privilege to work with many amazing small business owners. Every day I see how small businesses are creating an economy built to last and living the American Dream. I wanted to share these great stories with everyone – so we asked small business owners to share their stories in a short video that demonstrates how their business benefited from the SBA and makes a difference in their local community.
The response to SBA's first video contest was incredible – we received over 100 submissions! It was a difficult process, but SBA selected four winners to participate in the Google + Hangout with me. Thanks to all contest participants for taking the time from your busy schedules to submit these outstanding videos. We look forward to highlighting all the videos on our website in the coming weeks.
Drum roll please…!
The winners of the 2012 National Small Business Week Video Contest:
KissTixx, Orem, Utah
Dallas Robinson and Mike Buonomo started KISSTIXX Lip Balm as a project in college. They created a high quality SPF lip balm that was packaged in two compatible flavors, one for you and one for your special someone. The two flavors would combine on contact creating a new flavor or experience when you kiss. They have flavors like Fire & Ice that heat and cool the lips, Raspberry & Lemonade and Strawberry Daiquiri & Pina Colada. As students they needed the help of the SBA to create product to meet the demand. The SBA stepped up and now KISSTIXX gets inquiries all over the world. They are currently negotiating deals with major retailers stateside and expanding the kissing experience into over 30 countries. They were even able to convince celebrity billionaire Mark Cuban to financially back their company.
Rodgers' Banana Pudding Sauce; Chesapeake, Virginia
Reggie Rodgers is the Managing Director of R.R. Enterprise - better known as Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Sauce, located in Chesapeake, VA. Reggie is a service-disabled veteran, serving 26 years with the Navy. In his first year of business, Reggie and his family worked with their local Small Business Development Center in Chesapeake to learn the nuts and bolts of operating a business. They are now in the process of applying for a Patriot Express Loan, after attending a military community workshop at an SBDC in Hampton, VA.
My First Job: Nancy-Ann DeParle - Wed, 23 May 2012
Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.
Today Nancy-Ann DeParle is an Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House. It's a big change from her very first summer job, working as a soda jerk in a drugstore in Rockwood, TN -- although Nancy-Ann says that too was "awesome." Check it out:
So far, employers have committed to providing more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.
You heard about Nancy-Ann's first job. Now go find yours.
Learn more
- Watch Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, talk about his first job
- Watch Cecilia Munoz, Director of the White House's Domestic Policy Council, talk about her first job.
- Watch Jimmy Fallon talk about his first job.
- See the list of employers and organizations participating in Summer Jobs+
- Check out a range of web and mobile apps designed to connect young people to jobs.
Everyone Can Find a Way to Honor our Service Members - Wed, 23 May 2012
This op-ed by Dr. Jill Biden was first published in The Hill
Over the past few years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend time with our veterans, troops and military families. With every visit, I come away inspired.
They are military spouses, who balance work, family and school — all while dealing with the emotions of a deployment. They are military children, who move from school to school while picking up extra chores while their dad or mom is away serving our country. They are survivors of our fallen, who are pillars of strength for their communities. And of course, they are our troops, veterans and wounded warriors, who have dedicated their lives to defending America.
This Memorial Day, we must remember that these heroes are found in every corner of our country, from big cities to rural areas, from base communities to small towns. But no matter where they are assigned or what their duties are, when our service members are called to serve, so too are their families.
That’s why one year ago, first lady Michelle Obama and I launched Joining Forces, an initiative to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and serve our nation’s veterans and military families. Joining Forces focuses on three key areas — employment, education and wellness — while raising awareness about the service, sacrifice and needs of our troops, veterans and their families.
When we first started thinking about this concept, we were pretty confident that Americans would answer the call. But the response we’ve seen in our first year has been simply overwhelming.
2010 Census: On-Time, Under-Budget, and Extremely Accurate - Wed, 23 May 2012
Ed note: this was originally posted on The Commerce Blog, the official blog of the US Department of Commerce
Yesterday's U.S. Census Bureau report shows that not only was the 2010 Census delivered on time and significantly under budget – but even more important, it was extremely accurate. I am proud of the extraordinary accomplishment by the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department in its success with the massive 2010 Decennial Census effort that gathered data vital to understanding our nation’s population and to allocating equal representation in our democratic system. The accuracy of the 2010 Decennial Census is particularly impressive considering outside predictions of failure. The Census was able to reverse a decades-long decline in survey response rates with its 2010 count.
The data released yesterday are from a post-enumeration survey of the 2010 Census called the Census Coverage Measurement (CCM) program, which measures the accuracy of the coverage of the nation’s household population (excluding the 8.0 million people in “group quarters,” such as nursing homes or college dorms). It surveys a sample of the 300.7 million people living in housing units and then matches the responses to the census, providing an estimate of exactly who was or wasn’t counted in the census. The results found that the 2010 Census had a very small net overcount–just 0.01 percent–which is statistically virtually the same as zero, and a significant improvement over the 0.49 percent overcount in 2000 and 1.61 percent undercount in 1990. You can learn more about how the Census Bureau conducts the CCM survey after the census to help measure its quality.
Roadmap for a Digital Government - Wed, 23 May 2012
When the Internet revolution arrived in the 1990s, the U.S. Government embraced this new medium to interact with the American people. Today, what started as basic information pages has evolved into sophisticated transactional systems that allow us to pay taxes online, download medical records, and so much more.
Like the 1990s, we are now in the midst of another important shift in how people consume and deliver information and services. In 2011, global smartphone shipments exceeded personal computer shipments for the first time in history, and more Americans will soon access the Internet via mobile devices than desktop PCs. The rise of mobile further compounds the challenge of providing high-quality digital services in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
That’s why President Obama issued a directive today to make important services accessible from your phone and charged me with developing a comprehensive strategy to build a 21st Century Digital Government that delivers better digital services to the American people.
Today marks the launch of that Digital Government Strategy (PDF / HTML5).
At its core, the strategy takes a coordinated, information- and customer-centric approach to changing how the government works and delivers services to the American people. Designing for openness from the start – making open data the default for government IT systems and embracing the use of web APIs – enables us to more easily deliver information and services through multiple channels, including mobile, and engage the public and America’s entrepreneurs as partners in building a better government.
Wanted: A Few Good Women and Men to Serve as Presidential Innovation Fellows - Wed, 23 May 2012
Today, we are very excited to be launching the new Presidential Innovation Fellows program. This new initiative will bring top innovators from outside government for focused “tours of duty” with our best federal innovators on game-changing projects. Combining the know-how of citizen change agents and government change agents in small, agile teams that move at high speed, these projects aim to deliver significant results within six months.
We are kicking off the program with five projects that seek to save taxpayers money, fuel job creation, and improve the return government is delivering to the American people:
- The Open Data Initiatives Program: This program aims to stimulate a rising tide of entrepreneurship that uses data from governmental and non-governmental sources to create tools that can help Americans better navigate their world, such as by finding the right health care provider, identifying the college that provides the best value for their money, saving money on electricity bills through smarter energy shopping, keeping their families safe by knowing which products have been recalled, and much more. Building upon prior success stories in which entrepreneurial innovators built amazing products based on the release of weather, GPS, and health-related data, this program will speed and expand the release of government data and voluntarily-contributed private-sector data in machine-readable form in realms including health, education, energy, safety, the nonprofit sector, and personal finance. Through ideation workshops, codeathons, and “datapaloozas” that showcase the best innovations, the program will actively stimulate the creation of new apps and services by creative entrepreneurs– improving the lives of Americans in many tangible ways and creating jobs of the future at the same time.
- Blue Button for America: This initiative will seek to expand nationwide adoption of Blue Button, a capability that enables consumers to securely download electronic copies of their own health information. It will create tools that make adoption and operation of Blue Button even easier by public-sector and private-sector organizations, and also stimulate the development of new apps and services by entrepreneurs that can help consumers use Blue Button data to improve their health and care.
- MyGov: This project will reimagine the relationship between the Federal Government and citizens by rapidly prototyping a streamlined, intuitive online system that Americans can use to easily access the right information and services for them from across the U.S. Government and also provide feedback about their interactive experience.
- RFP-EZ: This project will develop a process and a platform that makes it easier for the Federal Government to procure innovative technology solutions from small, high-growth companies. This will enable more startups to access the government marketplace, fueling job growth, and will also result in the adoption of lower-cost, higher-impact IT solutions by agencies, saving taxpayers money and improving results delivered.
- The 20% Campaign: This USAID-led initiative seeks to create a system that enables US Government programs to seamlessly move away from making cash payments to support foreign policy, development assistance, government operations, or commercial activities and transition to using electronic payment mechanisms such as mobile devices, smart cards, and other methods. Moving from cash to electronic payment promises to reduce waste and administrative costs while simultaneously improving outcomes significantly.
An Ongoing Commitment, a Bright Future - Tue, 22 May 2012
Darla Armstrong is one 25 AmeriCorps members still serving in Joplin.
Darla Armstrong worked in the Joplin School District for 31 years, both as a teacher and administrator. But all that experience could not prepare her for the events of May 22, 2011.
She was home at the time the EF-5 tornado was expected to hit her neighborhood in the north side of Joplin, but it veered and went straight through the middle of town. Although her home was spared, Armstrong heard that students in the very community she taught had perished from injuries resulting from the tornado that destroyed Joplin High School and more than 7,500 other buildings.
Darla stepped into action amid the total chaos and started volunteering with the Joplin School District. Helping organize logistics at the distribution center set up at the middle school, Armstrong went out to find victims affected by the storm and assess their needs. Eventually, that work led her to begin a new career working with AmeriCorps VISTA and to help the students of Joplin recover.
With 54% of Joplin students affected by the tornado and many living in transitional housing, Darla works feverishly to match the needs of the students and their families with donations available to make life a little bit easier for the victims. To date, Darla Armstrong and her fellow Bright Futures AmeriCorps VISTAs have coordinated and distributed tens of thousands of dollars in donations of supplies, clothing, and other essential for Joplin students.
“The kids are the priority and their families—they don’t have clothes or transportation,” says Armstrong. “Bright Futures picked up the gap between the gap that can’t be met in the middle. So far, I have helped to organize, plan, and attend 9 Sunshine Squads, impacting approximately 550 staff members. "
Since the storm hit, AmeriCorps has had an ongoing presence in Joplin and a long-term commitment to the recovery efforts. In the year since, more than 350 AmeriCorps members from across the nation have served in Joplin. They have removed tons of debris, provided homeowner assistance and casework, operated donation and distribution warehouses, coordinated donations, and managed a large-scale volunteer operation that has coordinated more than 75,000 volunteers to provide more than 520,000 hours of disaster assistance to more than 2,200 Joplin households.
One year after the tornado, more than 25 AmeriCorps members just like Darla are still serving in Joplin, assisting with home building and repair, offering legal services to low-income families, managing volunteers and donations and homeowner requests through the AmeriCorps Recovery Center led by the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team.
Wendy Spencer is the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Learn more
- Read about the efforts to rebuild Joplin.
- Watch President Obama's commencement address to the 2012 graduates of Joplin High School.
Ask an Entrepreneur: How Do Small Businesses Benefit from Federal Research Grants? - Tue, 22 May 2012
Ed note: In honor of Small Business Week, StartUp America is highlighting success stories and advice from American entrepreneurs
It is not always obvious what will come of a federal research grant. Would you expect that a federal research grant from the National Institutes of Health for “Image Slicing Spectrometer for High Resolution Sub-Cellular Microscopy” would eventually revolutionize oil rig and refinery safety? The researchers themselves could not have guessed how far their invention would go.
Two years ago, Robert Kester and I founded Rebellion Photonics around technology he and his colleagues at Rice University created with support from a federal grant for basic bioengineering research. Since then, we have created seven jobs, raised $1.1 million in venture funding, become cash flow positive, and created products that truly make the world a safer place.
At Rebellion Photonics, we produce video cameras that can identify and quantify chemicals -- essentially our video cameras “see” chemicals, not just colors. While this type of technology, called hyperspectral imaging, has been around since the 1980s, researchers were forced to wait minutes, even hours to see results. Our cameras take milliseconds, allowing the first true real-time chemical imaging video.
The technology was initially invented to see live chemical reactions within cells for medical research. We do sell cameras for researchers, but with the help of additional grant funding for basic R&D we have been able to expand our product range.
Rebellion Photonics CTO Robert Kester at work on the company's the medical imaging device, which uses hyperspectral imaging to identify and quantify chemicals.
Behind the Scenes: Burt Bacharach and Hal David Receive the Gershwin Prize - Tue, 22 May 2012
Last night, PBS broadcast "In Performance at the White House: Burt Bacharach & Hal David: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song," a tribute to one of America's most successful songwriting teams. Before the event took place earlier this month in the East Room, we spoke to some of the performers about what it was like to be a part of this celebration in the White House.
See more great performances at the White House
Number of the Day: 82 years - Tue, 22 May 2012
Of all the incredible stories to come out of the effort to rebuild Joplin, Missouri after the May 22, 2011 tornados, few are more powerful than that of the response from volunteers -- everyday people from all over the country and the world who poured into the community and returned again and again to help with the recovery.
In the year since the storm, more than 126,800 individuals put in some 755,300 hours of community service in the Joplin area. Their efforts in everything from clean-up and repairs to home construction represent more than 82 years of community service.
Learn more
- Read about the efforts to rebuild Joplin.
- Watch President Obama's commencement address to the 2012 graduates of Joplin High School.
My First Job: Andy Katz - Tue, 22 May 2012
Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.
Andy Katz, a sports reporter and analyst, got his first job at a sporting goods store, where he once sold a pair of hand weights to then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Katz said Gov. Dukakis used the weights as he walked to the state capitol in Boston.
So far, employers have listed more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.
You heard about Andy Katz’s first job. Now go find yours.
JudyCare: Focusing on Fighting Cancer, Without Fear of Lifetime Insurance Caps - Tue, 22 May 2012
Ed. note: This is cross-posted from HealthCare.gov
Judy Lamb from Colorado is an inspiration. Despite fighting breast cancer that has spread to her bones and liver and undergoing weekly chemotherapy, she has a positive outlook on life.
“I have three children, I’m married, and I cook dinner every night. It’s not really exciting, but it’s a wonderful life. I’m so glad I’m here, because without my treatments I wouldn’t be here,” she says.
She is able to maintain her positive attitude partly because the Affordable Care Act has removed a tremendous burden: the fear that her health plan would stop paying for her treatments.
President Obama Returns to Joplin - Tue, 22 May 2012
President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address to the graduating seniors of Joplin High School at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, May 21, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
Speaking tonight to the first group of students to graduate from Joplin High School since a tornado ripped through the Missouri city one year ago, President Obama praised the resilience of its community.
“No matter how we might try to avoid it, life surely can bring some heartache, and life involves struggle. And at some point life will bring loss,” he said. “But here in Joplin, you’ve also learned that we have the power to grow from these experiences. We can define our lives not by what happens to us, but by how we respond.”
The President called the example set by the people of Joplin -- in the hard work they've put into the recovery, in the imagination they've shown in remaking their city -- "an inspiration."
To learn more about the effort to rebuild Joplin, go to whitehouse.gov/joplin.
White House Office Hours: A “To-Do List†That’ll Create Jobs and Help the Middle Class - Tue, 22 May 2012
Ed. Note: The event has concluded. Check out the full Q&A below or on Storify.
Over the past few weeks, President Obama has traveled around the country to talk to Americans about a set of common sense initiatives that'll create jobs and help the middle class. The President is calling on Congress to act on a to-do list that will: help more Americans save money on their mortgages; invest more in clean energy and small businesses; help more veterans find work; and make it easier for companies to bring jobs back to America.
Do you have questions about the President's plan? On Tuesday, May 22nd at 12:00 p.m. ET, we're holding a special session of White House Office Hours on Twitter to answer your questions.
Here's how you can join:
- Right now, you can ask your questions on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
- Follow the Q&A live through the @WHLive Twitter account
- If you miss the live Q&A, the full session will be posted on WhiteHouse.gov and Storify.com/WhiteHouse
So, what's on the to-do list? Here are the items at a glance. You can learn more and check out videos at WhiteHouse.gov/todolist
Joplin: Remember, Rejoice, Rebuild - Mon, 21 May 2012
Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the deadly tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri, killing 161 and displacing thousands.
Tonight, President Obama will deliver the commencement address to the Joplin High School class of 2012 -- the first group of students to graduate since the storm. You can watch his remarks live at 9:15 PM ET.
To mark the anniversary, we've put together a piece featuring interviews with those who've witnessed and contributed to the city's remarkable recovery, photos from the effort to rebuild, and video from President Obama's visit to Joplin.
Check it out: http://www.whitehouse.gov/joplin
#LatismAtTheWH – Latinos Active in Social Media Visit the White House - Mon, 21 May 2012
To engage with Latinos active in social media, the White House Office of Public Engagement held a briefing for LATISM bloggers with Senior White House and Administration officials. Over 75 people from across the country attended the event at the White House to discuss a diverse range of issues important to the Latino community. Take a look at the tweets shared by #LatismAtTheWH attendees below or on Storify. Stay connected to the White House en español at WhiteHouse.gov/Espanol, follow us on Twitter @lacasablanca, and sign up for email updates here.
Learn more about the topics discussed during today’s briefing:
- College Affordability: http://wh.gov/double
- Education Civil Rights: Know your Rights (English) | Recursos de la Oficina Para Derechos Civiles (en Español)
- Health Care: Healthcare.gov (English) | Cuidadodesalud.gov (en Español)
- Nutrition: www.myplate.gov (English) | Mi Plato (en Español)
- Fixing Our Broken Immigration System: President’s Blueprint on Immigration Reform (English) | (en Español)
- The Hamilton Project Speech by Cecilia Muñoz: watch video here | text of remarks (English) | text of remarks (en Español)
NATO Summit in Chicago: Day Two - Mon, 21 May 2012
President Obama wrapped up the second and final day of the NATO Summit in Chicago on Tuesday.
In the morning, he participated in a meeting with leaders from the 50 nations that make up the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan to discuss the next step in the transition of power there—setting a goal for Afghan forces to take the lead for combat operations across the country in 2013.
- President Obama’s remarks at the ISAF Meeting
- Fact Sheet: Afghanistan Transition Interim Milestone
- Fact Sheet: NATO’s Enduring Presence in Afghanistan after 2014
In the afternoon, President Obama and his NATO counterparts met with leaders from non-NATO nations that are making significant financial, operational, and political contributions to NATO operations. These types of partnerships allow NATO to extend its reach and better shoulder shared burdens.
Later in the afternoon, President Obama held a press conference before departing for Missouri, where he will deliver the commencement address at Joplin High School.
Partnership Developments in Cybersecurity - Mon, 21 May 2012
While the cyber threat remains one of the most serious challenges we face as a nation, we have made some tremendous progress recently working together with industry on meaningful ways to secure our nation’s critical infrastructure.
Earlier this month, we gave the green light to two long-awaited Defense Industrial Base (DIB) efforts efforts designed to help companies protect critical information related to Department of Defense programs and missions. The DIB Cybersecurity/Information Assurance (CS/IA) program allows eligible DIB companies and the Government to share cybersecurity information. The Government shares cybersecurity threat and mitigation information with DIB companies to incorporate into their security practices, and, in turn, DIB companies report known intrusion events that may compromise DOD information to the Government and participates in damage assessments as needed. In addition, DIB enhanced Cybersecurity Services -- a joint DOD-DHS activity and based on lessons learned from the 2011 DIB Pilot -- is available as an optional part of the DIB CS/IA program in which the Government will furnish classified information that enables DIB companies or participating commercial service providers to counter additional types of known malicious activity for participating DIB companies.
White House Hangout: Small Business Week with SBA Administrator Karen Mills - Mon, 21 May 2012
Throughout the next few days, we will celebrate our nation's entrepreneurs during National Small Business Week. At the U.S. Small Business Administration, we have the great privilege to work with many amazing small business owners -- so we asked them to share their stories in a short video that demonstrates how their small business makes a difference in their local community. The response to SBA's first video contest was incredible.
On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, at 3:00 pm ET during a Google+ Hangout hosted by SBA and the White House, we will announce the winning entries. I will be joined by the small business owners who submitted the winning videos, along with special guest moderator, Diana Ransom, contributing editor of Entrepreneur.com. We'll discuss how SBA assistance helped their small business and what inspired their successes.
If you're interested in starting or growing a business, the Google+ Hangout is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the many programs available to help you achieve your goals. We will also take your questions live during the hangout via Twitter with the hashtag #WHHangout.
Here's how you can join:
- When: Join us at 3:00pm EDT on Wednesday, May 23, 2012
- Where: Watch on WhiteHouse.gov/live, the White House Google+ page, or at Entrepreneur.com
- Engage: Ask questions and join the discussion on Twitter with the hashtag #WHHangout
Startup Stories: JOBS Act Expands Opportunities for True Investments - Mon, 21 May 2012
Ed note: In honor of Small Business Week, StartUp America is highlighting success stories from American enterpreneurs
Stockbox Grocers is a startup out of Seattle, WA that places neighborhood grocery stores throughout urban areas to increase access to fresh produce, essential staples, and good meals. Stores are tucked inside empty storefronts or reclaimed shipping containers that can be dropped into available parking lots. As a community focused for-profit, we’ve been able to leverage a wide range of support to grow our business from an idea into reality and we expect to continue to fund our development by further cultivating relationships within our community and across the country.
In Fall 2011, Stockbox opened a prototype store that allowed us to test our unique business model, receive direct feedback from customers, and test key design features. We converted an 8’ x 20’ box into an inviting retail space complete with signage, curtains, community boards, a sitting area, and over 300 unique items sourced from a co-op distributor and local farms. Customers were blown away by the large variety of affordable and fresh food and this new alternative to local mini-marts.
We were able to open the store in only a few months because of our supporters: community groups welcomed our concept with open arms; local non-profits and government offices helped with outreach and implementation; and we raised much of our funding via a donation-based crowdfunding campaign. This online fundraising platform allowed us to share our story and develop an even wider range of support, collecting almost 200 donors from Seattle and other cities, who contributed more $21,000 in 45 days.
Carrie Ferrence and Jacqueline Gjurgevich are the co-founders of Stockbox Grocers, a Seattle-based startup that is working to fix the grocery gap in neighborhoods that don’t have access to good food.
The JOBS Act will expand opportunities for Stockbox and other startups to raise funds through similar crowdfunding websites – not just donations but true investments. Stockbox sees these new options as powerful tools in building relationships with investors who are interested in supporting community-based businesses, as opposed to the traditional venture capitalist format. This will help us reach more people and raise more funds from ordinary Americans (not just the wealthy “accredited” investors currently allowed to invest in most private companies) in a way that is in line with our company’s mission. And this provides us with resources to scale, in order to open more stores and create more jobs within communities.
President Obama Attends NATO Summit in Chicago - Mon, 21 May 2012
President Barack Obama, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and North Atlantic Council leaders pose for a “family†photo at Soldier Field during the NATO Summit in Chicago, Illinois, May 20, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama was in Chicago today for the first day of the NATO summit, a gathering of leaders from the 28 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
In the morning, he held a bilateral meeting with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss implementation of the Strategic Forces Agreement. The agreement, which the two leaders signed in Kabul earlier this month, lays out the future relationship between the United States and Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan deliver statements after a bilateral meeting at the McCormick Place Convention Center during the NATO Summit in Chicago, Illinois, May 20, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
In the afternoon, President Obama met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to discuss goals of the NATO Summit in Chicago.
Later in the day, President Obama spoke at the opening session of the North Atlantic Council, and participated in a working dinner with NATO leaders.
Watch Live from the NATO Summit in Chicago - Sun, 20 May 2012
This week, leaders from the 28 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will gather in Chicago for a summit aimed at discussing international security and the war in Afghanistan. This will be the 25th time NATO has held a summit and the first time the United States has hosted the event since 1999. It will also be the largest such event in the organization’s history.
Throughout the day on Sunday and Monday, the U.S. State Department will broadcast events with President Obama and foreign leaders. Click here to watch.
Wrapping Up the G8 Summit at Camp David - Sun, 20 May 2012
This weekend, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia joined President Obama at Camp David for the annual G8 Summit. The leaders met to address major global economic, political, and security challenges, including energy and climate change, food security and nutrition, Afghanistan’s economic transition and transitions taking place across the Middle East and North Africa.
- Read the G8 Declaration
- View a slideshow from the weekend
- President Obama’s Remarks at the close of the G8 Summit
Energy and Climate Change:
At the Camp David Summit, G-8 Leaders recognized that the development of and universal access to environmentally safe, sustainable, secure, and affordable sources of energy is essential to global economic growth and to their overall efforts to address climate change.
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