Small business assistance center in need of volunteers

Date: 9/27/2010

AGAWAM -- The Agawam Small Business Assistance Center (ASBAC) has announced it is looking for additional volunteers to staff its office in the Agawam City Hall.

The center fosters economic growth and client education by providing free professional counseling, workshops and other supportive services to area entrepreneurs who want to start or improve their businesses in Agawam and the surrounding communities.

During its eight years of operation, the center has received hundreds of requests for counseling on subjects such as: starting a business; business loans; marketing and sales; accounting; taxes; human resources; inventory control; employee training; technology, computer systems and business planning. Counseling is provided by SCORE, and is on an appointment basis.

The ASBAC is seeking enthusiastic, motivated members of the business community to serve a few hours per month to answer phones, direct new business people to the center's appropriate contacts and other related duties.

Many of the volunteers are retired from the business community or currently in business within the region.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in donating three to six hours a month to help answer phones and perform routine office work, please call Pat Roberts, our volunteer leader, at 786-8580.