Jess King
LANCASTER — Jess King, the current Executive Director of ASSETS – a business training and lending nonprofit in Lancaster – is taking a leave of absence to run for US Congress in PA’s 16th district. She will begin her leave on September 1st.
King argues that she has been fighting for working families and communities for her entire 20-year career in Lancaster & Pittsburgh. She has served as the Executive Director of ASSETS since 2010 and has planned and grown the programs, staff, budget and funding sources more than 800% over that time.
She has won numerous awards for her leadership including Pittsburgh’s 40 under 40 and Lancaster’s Ethics in Business Award and Baldwin Fellowship, served on various community development boards in Pittsburgh and Lancaster, served as a Commissioner on Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray’s Commission to Combat Poverty and currently Chairs the Coalition to Combat Poverty’s Private Sector Working Group, serves on the Lancaster Equity Community Development Corporation Board and the Redevelopment Authority of Lancaster City, has been named a 2016-17 Fellow with the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and serves on and the Board of Create Karma – a community wellness program.
Born & raised in Lancaster, she was educated at Conestoga Valley School District, Lancaster Mennonite School and Eastern Mennonite University. She lives in Southeast Lancaster City with her husband and two school-age daughters
On Thursday morning,King will release a statement to supporters about her decision to run for Congress. Below are key excerpts:
“I’m a working mother running for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 16th district,” she said. “I’ve devoted my career to supporting small business owners seeking a shot at the American dream. But it hasn’t been enough. The cards are stacked against working families. Our country is too divided, and Washington isn’t helping. I believe America should be for all of us.”
“This campaign is about people, not party politics. We believe that we can win against Lloyd Smucker in 2018 by running a campaign that focuses on bold policies that are popular with working Pennsylvanians. We are going to spend the campaign listening to people. We aren’t going to shy away from talking about who we think is responsible for the crisis that we’re in: Wall Street and Washington insiders. And we’re going to get out there and bring this campaign to the people. This campaign is about all of us — from Marietta to Coatesville to Lancaster.”
Jess will host a campaign launch event entitled “Jess King: America is for All of Us Campaign Launch,” on Tuesday, July 18th at 6pm, at Penn Square in downtown Lancaster.
