Members of the Southcoast Worksite Health & Wellness Collaborative enjoyed a presentation on Entrepreneurship For All by Southcoast Executive Director Shelley Cardoos at the December 10, 2015 meeting of the Collaborative. Ms. Cardoos described the program that recruits local mentors from the business community to work with an Entrepreneur over a twelve-month period. Mentors give 90 minutes a week for 12 weeks and then 90 minutes a month for nine months to guide them through the development of a new business. In addition to the mentoring selected Entrepreneurs receive weekly workshops, free office space, access to technical experts and the opportunity to compete for $30,000 in cash prizes to help launch their businesses. The meeting also provided participants with information about the upcoming Greater Fall River Fitness Challenge, the New Bedford Fitness Challenge, and the new Fall River Parent Academy. The monthly Collaborative meetings, often held at the Sylvia Insurance Company headquarters on Faunce Corner Road in North Dartmouth, offer presentations on a number of topics related to worksite wellness. Click here  for a 20-minute video of Ms. Cardoos' presentation and here for previous presentations. Anyone planning to attend future Collaborative meetings is asked to RSVP Chairperson Angela Bras at 774-400-4466..

(Top row) Collaborative Chairperson Angela Bras welcomes the group and  Elaine Couto of Joseph Abboud Manufacturing introduces her colleague, Sandra Vasconcellos, before asking some questions about the upcoming Fall River Parent Academy. (Middle row) Entrepreneurship For All Southcoast Executive Director Shelley Cardoos describes the program and responds to questions from the group. (Bottom row) Southcoast Health Employee Wellness Director Kris Aimone looks over material about the program while YMCA Southcoast Diabetes Prevention Program Director Dara Midwood poses a question as meeting host Julie Jennings of the Sylvia Insurance Company, LLinda Schick of the Town of Fairhaven, and Susan Shepardson of WellCommunity, Inc. listen to her presentation.