Procurement
1st Annual Minority Procurement Vendor Registration Fair
November 12th, 2021 Presented By Truist
Procurement opportunities are a great way to scale and grow minority-owned businesses. The federal government and local municipalities collectively spend over $3 Trillion annually purchasing goods and services. It's our goal to help state officials in South Carolina reach their set aside goals and % for minority businesses.
We are proud to announce to kick off our program the 2021 event is sponsored by Senator Tim Scott for US Senate and the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs.
This event is free and features appearances from SC's Only Black-Owned Bank Optus Bank, Truist, the USBA, SC SBDC, SHAW AIR FORCE BASE Purchasing, Florence Chamber of Commerce, Sumter City/County Procurement, H.R. Robert Williams Florence-Darlington, & many others.
Stay Tunned for 2022 Dates TBA
Official Sumter Juneteenth celebration
2nd Annual Celebration June 18-19th , 2022
After a mishap in 2020 when a reference to Black Face was on Sumter's Tourism Facebook page, we developed the Sumter Juneteenth Celebration in 2021 to bring Cultural Awareness to the citizens of Sumter. Sumter's Official 1st Annual Juneteenth Celebration was scaled back due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Explore the real reasons southern blacks ate watermelons & drank red drink, learn about the history of black business in Sumter and what they have contributed to Sumter's community and economy. Explore black owned businesses that are in Sumter today, and attend the Awards Gala to learn which businesses make the most impact in Sumter's black and minority community. Packed with vendors, great food, live entertainment, and an exploration of expression through visual arts.
Proceeds from this fundraising event are used to further the mission of the Sumter Black Chamber of Commerce, to promote an economic balance for all citizens of Sumter.
We thank our Sumter Juneteenth Gala Sponsors for helping us make this possible in 2021, they include; the Sumter County Cultural Commission, Will Brunson Law Firm, Sanders Fine Portraits, TEGrant Consulting, S.O.F.T. & Donations From First Baptist Missionary Church , & Rev. James Blassingame.
Special Support From our Volunteers Kay Diamonds Majorette, & Grammy Winning Professor Herbert Johnson
FINANCIAL literacy program
Youth Mini Summer Camp July 16th 2022
We are all about Social Justice and Promoting Long-term Positive Change! The financial literacy pilot program will begin in the Summer of 2022 and will focus on 232 children ages 4-7
years old. The participants will be selected from Sumter, Clarendon, & Lee Counties. The
students will participate in the Mini Summer Camp about finances Up Until Grade 12.
Finances are directly linked to social status and & quality of life so it's our goal to improve on
those numbers.
Keynote Speaker is Financial Consultant Jasmine Paul M.S., CFEI, Author of A Boy A Budget & A Dream, has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, & Parents Magazine. Jasmine also was a financial analyst for the Department of Defense managing a 174 Million Dollar Budget.
We are thankful for Unum Group’s Social Justice support & eager to show them the positive impact the grant
will make in our community.
Minority Business Incubator Hub
Fall 2022
After extensive studies into the State of Black & Minority Owned Businesses located in Sumter, Clarendon, Lee, Florence, & Darlington S.C. , Sumter Black Chamber of Commerce has developed a plan to mobilize its office into a business incubator hub that helps businesses both inside the office and outside of the space, allowing minority owned businesses to receive the resources to thrive and grow. We truly believe to close the wealth gap minority owned businesses need tools, resources, and support from the moment their ideas are born.
The shared and private office space will provide a new or existing business an affordable way to grow their business in an atmosphere consisting of entrepreneurship. Our virtual office components will help maximize profitability and reach even when one is away from the office. The business incubator hub will be a great way to maximize profits while lowering overhead costs. With shared offices, private suites, lounge area, eating facility, conference room, green space, and more the urban business incubator hub is the perfect solution to accommodate growing small business demands.
Stay tuned for our launch fall 2022
