United Way of King County is helping De Vitta Dorsey continue a family tradition.

De Vitta opened an Individual Development Account, and through that matched savings account, she's working toward expanding the family sausage making business and opening a restaurant.

"My dad has six children, and no one wants to be involved with sausage except me," she says with a laugh.

De Vitta's father, Jimi, makes and sells Creole-style sausage using a recipe that has been passed down for three generations in their family. He has a small store called the Incredible Link. De Vitta was interested in building on her father's business and needed tools and resources.

First she developed a business plan through the Washington CASH business training program. Then she connected with the United Way of King County Individual Development Account program, which helped gain financial skills and build savings for start-up capital.

"The IDA program really taught me how to save," De Vitta says. "I still put money aside every month. I've always had a savings account, but I never had any money in it. Now I do."

"The financial skills class was very helpful," she adds. "It taught me about forecasting and business transactions. The information will help me lay a good foundation for my business."

De Vitta had an Incredible Link booth at this year's Bite of Seattle, and she sold so many sausages on the first day, she had to send somebody home to restock.

She hopes to continue that tradition too.

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