Hispanic Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) is a non-profit founded in 1993 with a focus on developing communities that enhance the quality of life for Latinos in Kansas City. HEDC takes action through business development and community wealth-building initiatives and has assisted more than 1,100 new Latino businesses develop since its inception. From 2010 to 2011, HEDC provided technical assistance to 451 entrepreneurs with a total of 1,640 counseling sessions in their service area. 117 of those assisted were in Jackson County, MO. As Kansas City's only Latino-focused CDC, HEDC offers various workshops and training classes to accommodate their target communities. HEDC received the 2011 E Pluribus Unum national award from The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) with a $50,000 prize. With the help of HEDC, a study showed that more than 30 percent of previously vacant buildings in northeast Kansas City are now occupied by immigrant businesses.