Rep. Chu Highlights Opening of a Los Angeles-based Veterans Business Outreach Center

LOS ANGELES — Today, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) highlighted the recent opening of a Los Angeles Regional Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA. Covering Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Orange County, Santa Barbara County, and Riverside County, this new VBOC will provide essential resources to veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs and small business owners. In the United States, there are nearly two million veteran-owned small businesses, employing over five million people and generating over $1.3 trillion in annual revenue.

At a recent House Committee on Small Business hearing on supporting veteran-owned small businesses, Rep. Chu noted that until recently, the closest VBOC to Los Angeles was two hours away in San Diego.

“I am ecstatic that the VBOC has expanded its footprint to the Los Angeles region to equip veterans looking to start or grow a business with the skills and resources they need to succeed,” said Rep. Chu. “I’m grateful to the SBA, Long Beach City College, and everyone involved in standing up this new VBOC for recognizing the potential of our area’s veterans to improve their communities and grow our economy, and I look forward to learning about all the successful businesses this VBOC will help empower.”

Long Beach City College was awarded a grant by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to set up this VBOC because of its commitment to addressing challenges that veteran-owned small businesses face and helping them succeed through the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program. The grant will support a range of services, including:

• Business planning: Provides veterans with training and counseling on accounting, financial planning, and management.
• Assistance accessing capital: Provides veterans information on the multitude of sources of capital available to them, as well as helps them in accessing financing, loans, and grants.
• Marketing and outreach: Provides marketing and outreach services to promote veteran-owned businesses in their communities and beyond.
• Transitioning: Provides Boots to Business instruction to help active duty servicemembers transition out of the military and into entrepreneurship.

“Our servicemembers have protected our Nation with selfless honor and sacrifice, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting them with resources and opportunities as they pursue their American dreams of business ownership,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “With this expansion of our veteran-focused network of small business centers, we can help more transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses start and grow their businesses and advance our economy.”

Click here to visit the LA Regional VBOC website.

Los Angeles Veterans Business Outreach Center
4900 E Conant
Long Beach, CA
(844) 595-8262
info@lavboc.org