The Tracy Hispanic Business Group is a committee of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce. We are business owners and community leaders serving Tracy, CA which is located in the San Joaquin Valley.
We exist to promote Hispanic owned businesses and offer networking solutions to businesses who would like to connect with Tracy's large Latino population. We also advocate for community improvement within the Hispanic Community and within student populations.
Membership in our committee is not limited to Hispanic Americans but rather to Tracy Chamber of Commerce members. Since we are a committee of the Chamber, all Chamber members are welcome and encouraged to apply for membership.
The group is currently lead by a Chamber committee chair and co-chair with direct oversight from the Board of Directors. The Chamber provides additional support to the group such as fiscal responsibilities and administrative support.
The Four Pillars of our membership is to promote business with the Hispanic community, support educational success, perform community service, and recognize local Latino Leaders.
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Promote Business
Our membership supports local businesses and chambers members through a variety of means. First, we promote each others businesses and contract with members for services when given the opportunity. We solicit sponsorships for our events and mixers, which allow local businesses to advertise and network.
As a standing committee of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce we do promote business within the local community and serve as a conduit to network businesses and organizations that would like to align, market, or do business with the Hispanic community. Many of THBG are active as ambassadors, directors, or committee members for the Chamber.
Support Educational Success
Our members support educational success by coordinating and distributing an Annual Scholarship Program which includes an Awards Dinner. Annually 13 high school seniors compete for a scholarship in one of the following categories: Vocational Education, El Futuro (Financial aid), Athletics, Academics, Community Service, Health and Science and the Performing and Visual Arts. With four and soon to be 5 high schools and a population of over 80,000 in Tracy we are constantly looking for corporate partnerships to increase both the quantities of scholarships as well as the base amounts.
To date, THBG has granted over $43,000 in scholarship funds to over 60 high school students.
THBG distributes scholarship funds for one simple reason: to strengthen Our Country by advancing the college education of Tracy's Hispanic Americans. Our goal is to increase college degrees.
Perform Community Service
We also perform community service in partnership with other organizations in Tracy; For example, THBG participates and donates to the Tracy Unified School District, The City of Tracy, and the Tracy African American Association's Annual Leadership Conference at Tracy High. This event brings together 30-40 accomplished minority professionals and matches them with three groups of 15¬20 students to discuss life choices and or careers exploration.
The THBG also participates in a Latino College Day at West High. This conference brings together local Latino leaders in a conference setting aimed at inspiring and motivating both middle and high school students to success through post secondary education. College professionals are also on hand to discuss the ins and outs of admissions, financial aid and dorm life. The event also hosts parent workshops that empower parents to support their children.
Additionally, members of THBG represent the Hispanic population by sitting on the Mayors Community Youth Support Network Service Provider and Policy Team. This network has been in existence for a year as way to provide outreach to our local youth and to streamline services to youth from both public and private organizations. Services coordinated are to assist all youth and their families through preventing and intervening with substance abuse, truancy, gangs, peer support and conflict resolution. While this program is still in its infancy we see it as a great potential and effective intervention for our community.
Throughout the year our members generously donate their time, efforts, and money for local events, such as the McHenry House, Kids in a Box fundraiser, the Chamber Bean Festival, Tracy Women's Forum, Mayors Community Youth Support Network, CARR Annual Health and Safety, Jose Hernandez Reaching For the Stars Foundation, LULAC, Kiwanis, Rotary International United Way, the Southside Improvement Association and the Annual Cultural Arts Festival.
Recognition of Latino Leaders
Combined with the Annual Scholarship Dinner is also a Community Leadership Awards Recognition. Every year five to six community members or organizations are recognized for their outstanding contribution to the Tracy community. These individuals/organizations have reached out to the Latino community as mentors and advocates who have not only lended financial support but have also created social supports that uphold the community. These local heroes are usually the cream of the crop not only in the Latino community, but also, for the entire City of Tracy.
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