The Abilities Fund Selects Five Women Microentrepreneurs for Equity Awards

Utilizing $10,000 in funds provided by the Women and Company® Microenterprise Boost Program, The Abilities Fund awarded five local women microentrepreneurs financial support for their enterprises. The Abilities Fund is one of only fifteen organizations selected to participate in this nationwide program. The Women and Company® Microenterprise Boost Program offers low- and moderate-income women microentrepreneurs the opportunity to achieve greater business success by providing cash awards that will have measurable impact on the development of their businesses.

Started in 2005, the program is funded by the Citigroup Foundation and is administered by the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO). The awards may be used for essential business development activities such as marketing, technology purchases, website development, inventory, or professional services. Recipients will also receive technical training, business development guidance and assistance from The Abilities Fund on growing their businesses and maximizing their equity awards.

Patti Lind, Executive Director of The Abilities Fund noted, “Thanks to the Citigroup Foundation and Women and Company®, this innovative initiative makes it possible for us to provide awardees with both cash and skills, two critical elements for business growth and success.”

The Abilities Fund clients who were granted Women and Company equity awards in 2007 include:

Mary E Angus, Angus Consulting:
For approximately a year and a half, Angus Consulting of Omaha, Nebraska has been providing training and consulting on various disability issues. At workshops and conferences, Mary has addressed issues such as disability advocacy and leadership, voting rights, and sensitivity to disability issues. Angus Consulting also delivers advice on working with people with disabilities as well as employment and organizational policy review.

Kathryn L. Siddens, Sugar & Spice Café:
Situated in Afton, Iowa, Sugar and Spice Café is a cozy, 32-seat café which serves homemade items such as hot sandwiches and pies. Hours of operation are Monday-Wednesday 8am-2pm, Fridays 8am-2pm and 5-8pm, and Sundays 11am-2pm. Kathryn—owner, cook, and waitress—features a full menu with lunch specials throughout the week while offering a more limited menu on Friday evenings and Sundays.

Dixie L. Ehlers, Med-Assist of Iowa:
Med-Assist of Iowa sells diabetic testing supplies, diabetic shoes, wheelchairs, canes, walkers, and a range of other daily living necessities for people with various disabilities in Southwest Iowa. Professionals at MED-ASSIST of Iowa do all insurance filings for customers at the time of purchase as well as set-up and deliver items when needed. To learn more about products and serves available, visit www.medassistia.com.

Tami Pierce, Tag-a-Long Tami’s Pilot Service:
As sole proprietor of Tag-a-Long Tami’s Pilot Service, Tami escorts over dimensional loads anywhere within Nebraska and the states surrounding Nebraska. For over six years, Tag-a-Long Tami’s has provided safe and reliable support to drivers by warning her them and other roadway users of upcoming hazards.

Annette L. Murrell, Dr. Diva, Inc.:
Dr. Diva, Inc. is an umbrella organization that manages Good Works, Ink., The Writing Coach, and Dr. Diva Productions. Good Works, Ink. publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and educational materials while The Writing Coach provides private writing instruction and literacy education to a broad-based and diverse clientele. Also, Dr. Diva Productions produces high-quality musical and theatre entertainment as well as vocal instruction. To find out what Dr. Diva (aka Annette Murrell) is currently up to and to learn more about Dr. Diva, Inc. visit www.drdiva.biz.

“Women and Company is proud to participate in the Microenterprise Boost Program for the third consecutive year because we believe that all women should have the opportunity to achieve their financial goals,” said Lisa Caputo, President and CEO, Women and Company. We’ve seen this program have an immediate and practical effect in helping women grow their businesses, and we know that starting a business is one way that more and more women are finding they can begin to gain financial independence.” 

Nebraska Women and Company award recipients at award receeption on April 25, 2007. Left to right: Christine Hess (NSES Program Manager), Tami Pierce, Mary Angus, Annette Murrell.


Citigroup (NYSE:C), the leading global financial services company has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Major brand names under Citigroup’s trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, and Banamex. The Citigroup Foundation focuses its grants primarily in three areas: financial education, educating the next generation, and building communities and entrepreneurs. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.

Women and Company is an annual membership program from Citigroup designed to help women take control of their financial future while facing the many transitions life brings-from the birth of a child, to preparing for retirement, handling a divorce, or facing the illness or death of a spouse. Since each transition point in life calls for a new set of knowledge, Women and Company offers a full range of benefits and services to help women navigate each twist and turn. Members have access to financial education, including online newsletters, conference calls led by knowledgeable experts, and Master Classes in major metropolitan areas; ongoing assistance through toll-free resources staffed by professionals equipped to help answer questions related to taxes, real estate, survivorship, and elder care issues; and special savings on select Citigroup products. For more information, visit www.womenandco.com.

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) is the national association of community-based organizations that provide entrepreneurial education, access to capital, and support to aspiring and active low-income entrepreneurs. AEO's mission is to support the development of strong and effective U.S. microenterprise initiatives to assist underserved entrepreneurs in starting, stabilizing, and expanding businesses. To learn more about AEO or microenterprise, please visit www.microenterpriseworks.org.