TOLEDO (April 10, 2019)— The Lucas County Commissioners are joining Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Toledo and ASAP Mow & Snow, LLC at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, to celebrate the company’s purchase of property in West Toledo for its landscaping and snow removal business. The event will be held at ASAP Mow & Snow, located at 2438 Nebraska Ave.
With the acquisition of the building at 2438 Nebraska Ave., ASAP Mow & Snow, a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Ohio Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE) company, can continue to grow the business they began in 2012 and increase employment opportunities in the Scott Park neighborhood.
Darlene Whitehead, owner of ASAP Mow & Snow, and her husband, Gerald Whitehead, who is the firm’s business manager, leased the building in 2018 as a base of operations for their growing fleet of landscaping and snow removal equipment. The Whiteheads were able to take ownership of the property with the assistance of LISC Toledo and Lucas County. The purchase of the property allows the couple to continue developing their company and provide financial stability for their family while creating economic opportunities for the community.
“Now that we own the property, we’re looking to the future and how to improve the building and grow our business,” Gerald Whitehead said. “This property is not just a building to store our existing equipment. It represents an opportunity to expand our lines of business and bring more jobs to the neighborhood where we live and work,” owner Darlene Whitehead added.
In addition to the Whiteheads’ investment, LISC Toledo invested $97,500 to help the business acquire the property. “Supporting entrepreneurs helps open doors to economic development and wealth building,” said Sarah Allan, Program Officer of LISC Toledo.
“Prosperous communities support and encourage the growth of entrepreneurs with a small business ecosystem that is equitable and inclusive. Locally, Toledo has talent, but that talent needs access to resources that foster businesses’ development. Providing flexible capital and a strong support system for entrepreneurs will ensure that Toledo’s economic future creates opportunities broadly.”
Welcome Toledo-Lucas County (TLC), an initiative of Lucas County in partnership with LISC Toledo, aims to make the region more welcoming and inclusive for immigrants, refugees, and people of diverse cultures and works with a variety of groups to support social and economic opportunities across communities, including people of color, LGBT community members, and people with disabilities.
“As partners with LISC Toledo, we are committed to help women- and minority-owned businesses to encourage growth and expansions that will create economic development opportunities in the core neighborhoods of Toledo and Lucas County,” the Lucas County Commissioners said. “We are proud of the work LISC Toledo has done to build a more diverse and inclusive economy for women and minority entrepreneurs and look forward to more of these opportunities in the years to come.”
Investing in ASAP Mow & Snow and other woman- and minority-owned businesses is vital to fueling local economies and creating opportunity. “Small businesses are cornerstones of the community. Not only do they provide jobs and essential goods and services, they also add to the vibrancy of neighborhoods,” said Allan.
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About ASAP Mow & Snow
ASAP Mow & Snow, LLC is a professional lawn care, snow removal, salting service, and general landscaping business in the Toledo area. As a family-owned and operated business, ASAP recognizes the value of personalized attention and services to residents and businesses. ASAP Mow & Snow is woman-owned, a Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and Certified Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE) company. https://www.asap419.com/.
About LISC
LISC equips struggling communities with the capital, program strategy and know-how to become places where people can thrive. It combines corporate, government, and philanthropic resources. Since 1980, LISC has invested $17.3 billion to build or rehab 366,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 61 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. In Toledo, LISC has focused on a comprehensive approach to community development, investing $126 million to fuel economic opportunity and build stronger, healthier neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.lisc.org.
About Welcome TLC
The Welcome Toledo-Lucas County (TLC) initiative was launched in 2014 as a cross-sector network of community partners working to build a welcoming and inclusive community for immigrants, refugees, and people of diverse cultures. Welcome TLC engages partners through working committees, celebrates Toledo’s cultural diversity, and shares data and local immigrant success stories. Welcome TLC is housed in Lucas County in partnership with LISC Toledo. For more information, visit http://www.lisc.org/toledo/our-work/welcome-toledo-lucas-county/and www.facebook.com/WelcomeTLC.