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Verde strengthens the connection between environmental protection and economic opportunity - and brings more communities into environmental decisionmaking - by sharing our social enterprise experiences with other community groups and by working together to create new green jobs and businesses in new communities,. Many groups have a mission-driven commitment to economic opportunity. They operate programs to deliver jobs, training and/or entrepreneurial opportunities to people of color, to low-income people, to certain neighborhoods, or to other target communities. Increasingly, these groups see the green economy is a key opportunity area for their target communities, and they have begun to develop or expand green job, training or business development programs. Wherever and however we can, Verde wants to work together with these community groups in hopes that our experiences can add value to their efforts. Consider The Community for Equity, a new collaboration of strong grassroots organizations that has begun a systemic engagement of Portland's sustainability movement. The Community for Equity is by and of Portland's disadvantaged communities: Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, the Homeless, Immigrants, Veterans, and those with a criminal record. In 2009, this group submitted a successful $4 million application to the US Department of Labor's Pathways Out of Poverty grant program. Verde is a founding member of The Community for Equity.
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