By Jarrett Meek, Pastor & Executive Director
When you walk down Central Avenue in Kansas City, KS, one thing stands out; there are a lot of immigrant-owned businesses. Bakeries, taquerías, ethnic grocery stores, ice cream shops, and small clothing stores owned by immigrant entrepreneurs occupy spaces that were vacant and boarded up 20 years ago. In our neighborhood, as is true in cities across the nation, immigrants are revitalizing urban neighborhoods, one new business at a time.
The Kauffman Index of Start-up Activity consistently shows that immigrants are roughly twice as likely as native-born Americans to start new businesses. This might come as a surprise, given the complexity of establishing a business and the barriers immigrants face to accessing resources. But grit, determination, and the willingness to pursue dreams are all part of the immigrant spirit.
On October 8th, Mission Adelante joined in celebrating the 5th anniversary of The Toolbox: Small Business Resource Center. The Toolbox, founded by Gabriel Muñoz and supported by Mission Adelante and other community organizations, helps underserved entrepreneurs in our community plan, register, fund, operate, and grow their businesses, free of charge. The services the Toolbox provides include workshops, individual business coaching, and programs to promote youth entrepreneurship. Recognizing the barriers immigrant business owners face, the Toolbox provides multilingual programs and services that help bridge the cultural and language gaps that can make operating a business difficult.
For a small organization, the Toolbox is making an outsized impact. In 2025, they held 427 individual coaching sessions, and 692 entrepreneurs participated in workshops and programs offered by the Toolbox. Nearly 90% of Toolbox clients in 2025 were Latino or Hispanic, with the greatest portion of those being women in the 35 to 44-year-old age group.
Immigrant entrepreneurs are transforming our neighborhood from the inside out. The economic impact on our community and city is visible in the thriving coming and going of people from local restaurants, shops, and businesses. We’re thankful for the important role The Toolbox has in adding fuel to the entrepreneurial fire that burns so bright in our neighbors from all places.