Lynnwood launches Spanish-speaking small business support program

The Lynnwood Police Department and the City of Lynnwood are teaming up with the Latino Educational Training Institute (LETI) for an outreach effort supporting Spanish-speaking, small business owners in the city. 

This effort is a part of the Small Business Development Program the city launched in February, connecting business owners with resources to help their business thrive. Support offered through the program includes financial guidance, access to lending options, marketing, promotional support and networking, according to the city’s website. 

“As part of ongoing outreach to underserved communities, the Small Business Development Program and the Lynnwood Police Department partnered with LETI — an organization that is trusted by the Spanish-speaking community – to engage directly with business owners in their native language,” Lynnwood Business Development Program Manager Simreet Dhaliwal Gill told Lynnwood Today in an email. 

LETI is an organization dedicated to supporting Latino immigrants and the local Latino community, as well as low-income individuals. The organization offers financial education, child care assistance, and educational and health resources among other support and programs.

This spring and summer, Lynnwood Development and Business Services (DBS) staff reached out to 20 Spanish-speaking businesses in Lynnwood. Staff informed them of help available through the small business program and public safety initiatives led by the police department, Dhaliwal Gill said.  

The Small Business Development Program is free, and the city encourages more businesses to sign up. No city or external funds were spent on the program, aside from staff pay, Dhaliwal Gill said. 

Currently there are 17 participating  businesses, including restaurants, markets, salons and food trucks. Dhaliwal Gill said she reached out to over 100 construction and contracting companies with invitations to participate in the program. 

“This approach has helped build trust and opened the door to honest conversations about the needs and challenges businesses face daily,” Mayor Christine Frizzell said in her June memo to the community. “This initiative is part of our long-term commitment to inclusive, community-first engagement. DBS and LPD look forward to building stronger relationships with non-English speaking businesses and other underrepresented business groups throughout Lynnwood.”

Interested businesses and community partners can learn more by contacting Dhaliwal Gill at sdhaliwal@lynnwoodwa.gov, or Victoria Levin at vlevin@lynnwoodwa.gov. 

— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.