PeopleShores, a Silicon Valley based technology oursourcing company, snipped the ribbon and opened its doors to the community last week, explaining its long-term vision for the company and Clarksdale.
PeopleShores announced the location of its center in Clarksdale in December and began hiring and investing in its first cohort of employees – residents of Clarksdale – in January. Wednesday’s ceremony confirmed many of the promises and plans for the new PeopleShores Center at 1540 Desoto Avenue in Clarksdale.
“The Clarksdale community and the State of Mississippi has been so gracious in welcoming PeopleShores,” said PeopleShores CEO, Murali Vullaganti. “We are very pleased to establish our Mississippi Center in this wonderful community which has so completely embraced us.
“It is our greatest wish that PeopleShores and the associated clinic will serve and care for as many citizens of Clarksdale and Coahoma County as possible,” he added.
The unveiling of the free clinic was billed as PeopleShores gift to Clarksdale and is part of the company’s business model of improving all aspects of the communities in which it works.
PeopleShores achieved a major milestone by executing service agreements with several Fortune 500 companies thus bringing gainful employment to the first batch of recently hired and trained cohorts in Clarksdale. This milestone was celebrated at the Center Wednesday morning and was attended by investors, board members and supporters of PeopleShores from all over the world.
With a mission to create employment opportunities for opportunity youth in the United States, the company is committed to generating a positive social impact in the communities in which it operates. The company has plans to scale the center in Clarksdale to about 200 employees by the end of 2020.
And Wednesday’s ceremonies marked the first step toward achieving that goal.
Charlette Keaton, one of the first employees hired, works as a certified robotics process automation tech. She said she has held a number of jobs in the community, but has been trained by PeopleShores to do a very technical job.
“I have lived in Coahoma County for the last 20 years and this job is a Godsend to me,” said Keaton. “I never expected this to happen to me. I feel so blessed.”
Spencer George echoed Keaton’s thoughts.
“I was working cleaning churches part-time for minimum wage and now I am a certified RPA,” he explained. “I dreamed of a job like this, but never thought it would happen to me in a million years.”
Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy said he has been impressed with PeopleShores can-do attitude.
“You have to believe in something and PeopleShores believes in something great that is now happening in our community,” said Espy. “Some doubt what we are doing. I say just hold on.”
Jon Levingston, Executive Director of the Economic Development Authority and Local Chamber of Commerce, traveled to India last year to help put together the pieces that brought PeopleShores to Clarksdale. He said he learned quickly this is not just another tech company.
“The beauty of PeopleShores is that, in addition to providing well-paying, high-tech jobs for our local community, they will help address a challenge facing our region, as well as much of rural America: access to adequate healthcare for those unable, for financial considerations, to otherwise obtain it,” said Levingston. “We are grateful to PeopleShores, as well as the many people who have committed their efforts to provide these services to the people of Clarksdale and Coahoma County. Their efforts will contribute to a healthier population for our region. They are truly an inspiration.”
Mississippi Development Authority said earlier this spring that PeopleShores initially created 25 jobs and announced plans to invest an additional $500,000 in the operation through 2020.
PeopleShores received a Delta Regional Authority grant to perform structural changes to their building, an On-The-Job Training grant from the Mississippi Development Authority, significant assistance from the Delta Workforce Development Area and the support of Coahoma County in the form of a new paved parking lot at the site of the facility.
To learn more about People Shores, go to peopleshores.com.
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