After moving to New Mexico, Susan continued to work on economic development projects for low-income women while looking beyond the microlending model as a strategy for ending poverty in the US. She observed that, instead of a small business loan, what most women
needed was a steady job that paid enough to support a family and help acquiring new skills. So, in 1994, she founded Southwest Creations Collaborative (SCC) a women driven, US-based contract manufacturing operation for low-income immigrant women. SCC’s mission is to build economic and educational opportunity across generations.
At its newly built, 17,000 sq. ft operation, SCC produces high quality sewn soft goods and
hand-crafted products ranging from industrial
soft containers, kimonos, and pet bedding to potholders, wall covering, decorative pillows, firefighting uniforms, and more. SCC also provides industrial kitting, assembly and packaging services, handcraft kitting and
jewelry assembly, and order fulfillment and shipping. In the 29 years SCC has been in operation, it has employed over 125 women and created 35 living wage jobs. SCC’s annual revenue has grown from $30,000 to over $1.4 million. Business operations are 100% self-financed and successful enough to contribute over $100,000 annually to support SCC’s several vital social impact programs such as college readiness preparation, family engagement, early childhood development, and employability and leadership training.
These successful social impact programs developed and expanded over SCC’s 29-year history grew out of a simple realization that, while SCC could provide women a place to work, it also had to provide solutions to the obstacles women face managing work and home life – namely, affordable childcare.
Logically then, SCC’s first social impact program was to provide an on-site childcare program, charging mothers just $0.25 an hour. With their children cared for in a nurturing environment, the women who worked at SCC could focus on developing their skills and enhancing their productivity.
In a matter of a few years, Matteucci realized that while SCC had provided much needed care for their employee’s children, their commitment to these children could not end when they entered primary school. The children and their mothers needed support and guidance navigating the educational system their children were entering. In addressing this need first with their own employees and their children, it became clear there was an opportunity to create another SCC social program – one that systematically addressed the achievement gap between Latinx and White students.
Starting with 300 families and three Albuquerque schools – one elementary, one middle, and one high school – Hacia: Towards the University was born. Hacia supports students and families as they navigate the pipeline form Pre-K to higher education. For vulnerable children, this translates to family support for reading and other home learning
Our success proves that a sustainable business can be driven by a social vision: provide well-paying jobs with low-cost childcare, invest in employee training and development, and advocate for social change.
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