Courtesy of Wilkes Journal-Patriot
July 31, 2009

A new program is helping area people plan and start their own businesses.

Project Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) provides coaching and scholarships for custom training.

GATE is a demonstration project through the U.S. Department of Labor to test the viability of self-employment for rural laid-off workers.

Those not accepted into the program receive a number of referrals to other entrepreneurial sources that can assist them.

Raleigh-based Don Miller is serving people in the program in 62 rural counties via phone and Internet counseling.  Miller serves Wilkes and the other northwestern N.C. counties.

To learn more about Project GATE, click to www.ncprojectgate.org, call the Wilkes JobLink Career Center at 651-2540 or call Miller at 919-212-4235.