The YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester plans to host an event Oct. 19 in White Plains to mark National Women’s Small Business Month. Titled “Turn Up the Heat,” the event takes place at the C.V. Rich Mansion on Ridgeway Avenue in White Plains and features women who own or are intensively involved in food businesses. The organizers say it will offer “a taste of some of the best food and drink Westchester has to offer served up by female chefs and women-owned businesses in the food industry.”
According to the US. Small Business Administration (SBA), in 1972, there were just more than 400,000 women-owned businesses in the U. S. The SBA notes that until 1988, women needed a male relative to co-sign if they wanted to apply for a business loan. That same year, the Women’s Business Ownership Act increased SBA’s access to capital to provide financial assistance to organizations geared toward women-owned small businesses. By 2019, women-owned businesses represented 42% of all U.S. businesses and generated $1.9 trillion in revenues. Today, according to the SBA, there are more than 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. Every October, the nation honors the milestone achievements of today’s women-owned businesses by celebrating National Women’s Small Business Month.
The White Plains event will include food, networking and dancing. It will raise money to help support YWCA programs and services. Scheduled participants include:
- Sajin Renae Perino, executive chef of The Cookery;
- Karen and Peter Herrero Owners of Caperberry Events;
- Mary Molina owner of Lola Snacks;
- Jessica Galen owner of Bloomy Cheese & Provisions;
- Vivian McKenzie owner of Kathleen’s Tea Room & Bridgee’s Soul Food Trucks;
- Ashley Bady owner of Ashley’s Sweet Treats;
- Priya Kapoor-Salian owner of Raasa;
- Lydia Kris owner of The Pamplemousse Project;
- Chef Abyssinia of Chef Abyssinia Personal Chef & Catering;
- Stephanie Clark owner of Born to Rum;
- Rajni Menon Chef and owner of Creativerajni Cooked with Love/Private Chef Experiences;
- Diana Scott-Sho owner of Luscious Little Desserts.
Sponsors include: Gourmet Sponsors – Webster Bank, White Plains Hospital, White Plains Subaru – The Premier Collection; Ballroom Underwriter – Christina Altomare; Wine Underwriter – Tiffany Robibero, owner of Robibero Winery; Media Sponsors – Westfair Communications, Inc.; The Westchester Blogger.
The event has a website at ywcawpcw.org/turn-up-the-heat-2023.
