FIVE FLAGS INC. HISTORY
EST. 2014
Past Activities:
Inspired by the work of Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Muhammad Yunus, we started Five Flags Company, Inc. After 2008, so many throughout the world were suffering due to loss of jobs and homes, we felt we needed to help. Yunus’ dedication to those less fortunate moved us to action. At first, we were unsure of how to develop a company that could truly serve the needs of the people. Like Yunus, we thought that women had suffered most and they would be our principal focus.
Moved by Muhammad’s amazing story in the book, “The Price of a Dream” by David Bornstein, we decided to explore the possibilities. Marjorie Pugliese, Founder, visited Jackson Heights, Queens, where the Grameen America , started by Muhammad in Bangladesh, was operating with the support of Citibank. She walked a few blocks from Citibank to the office of Grameen America. On the outside of the door was a small piece of paper with the name, Grameen Bank. Across the street was what looked like a marketplace. Store fronts featured the goods that the women had created in their own businesses. Inside the building on Roosevelt Avenue was a stairway filled with women who also wanted to become entrepreneurs...
Present Activities:
In October, 2014, we officially became a 501c(3) non-profit corporation. Our mission was to serve those less fortunate, the impoverished, immigrants, single parents and those who had experienced loss of jobs and more. We called the company, Five Flags Company, Inc. to focus on the five values; Integrity, Mutual Respect, Responsibility, Transparency and Purpose; that is, to stop poverty and create jobs.
At first, we visited Port Richmond, Staten Island, where we met with women who were eager to learn. Women came to ask us whether their husbands could participate. We did not want to turn anyone away. And so we decided to help both men and women. This was the beginning of our venture...
Future Activities:
The future of Five Flags Company, Inc. will be challenging. We will develop a strong Sponsorship Program. We will add a Fundraising Department and a Grant Writing Department. We will work toward building our Financial Literacy connections with large Financial institutions that will support the work that we are doing. This is our major goal; that is, to reach our own higher level of Financial Independence.
We will then share the financial tools we’ve used and the financial success that we’ve attained through Workshops which we plan on giving for the Staten Island Not for Profit Organization. We will use Island Facilities like schools, churches, the Hilton Garden Inn and other institutions for our presentations and events...