Moy Mendez, The Hope Center, Blue Island, Illinois

The Hope Center is a "community center born out of a local church with the mission to empower neighbors to become creators and leaders through programs in agriculture, technology and auto mechanics." Originally a food pantry, Founder and Executive Director Moy Mendez reframed the mission to address food insecurity on a deeper level and to offer neighbors options for work and learning that could instill real hope in the struggling community of Blue Island, IL.

Morgan Villar, Dignity Homes, Atlanta, GA

Dignity Homes is a non-profit development firm that builds affordable homes for the housing insecure and will offer housing capped at 30% of family income in the greater Atlanta area. Founded by Morgan Villar, Dignity Homes is committed to developing long-term communities that intervene in the cycle of poverty and create a clear path to homeownership for Americans who have been denied access to the American dream.

Jon Adam Ross, The Inheritance Theater Project, New York, NY

The Inheritance Theater Project works with communities to build relationships across divides through collaborative theater projects inspired by shared cultural touchstones and spiritual texts. Communities reachout to the Inheritance Theater Project as a way to create conversation and healing around incidents caused bydeep racial, religious, or other cultural divides. Founded by Jon Adam Ross in 2015, the company has created original theater in 15 cities across the US.

Garry Mills, Shoot Basketballs NOT People, Philadelphia, PA

After too many of his friends and students died of gun violence, Garry Mills’ mission became simple. Shoot Basketballs NOT People" (SBNP) uses basketball as the vehicle to save and change the lives of youth. Through supportive services and resources, educational opportunities and, of course, basketball, SBNP works to decrease violence that perpetuates a cycle in which too many of today’s victims become tomorrow’s criminals.

Jillian Shannon, Neotopia, San Antonio, TX

Neotopia is a postmodern bookstore with a carefully curated selection of books in the realm of progressivetheology, philosophy and culture, along with a community space that offers classes, lectures, book clubs and movie screening and discussion. Founded by Jillian Shannon, the bookstore is designed to be a sanctuary for seekers and skeptics of any or no religion who want to challenge and discuss theological questions often unwelcome in many religious communities.

Victoria Scott-Miller, Liberation Station, Raleigh, NC

Liberation Station is North Carolina’s first Black-owned children’s bookstore. The bookstore specializes in children’s literature by Black creators that focuses on positive Black narratives and characters.

Katie Kenyon, Village Green RVA, Richmond, Virginia

Village Green RVA strives to make healthy food and family support accessible to the underserved community. Focusing on children in care (foster, adoptive, kinship, biological) and their families, single parent, and senior adults, the program will offer healthy and sustainable food while providing supportive life and career programs.

Nelson Crabbe and Nikola Rodriguez, ‘Awa Bird Nursery, Hilo, Hawai’i

‘Awa Bird Nursery is a small organic nursery committed to growing ancestral Hawaiian crops, including kalo (taro), ulu (breadfruit), and ‘awa (kava). These sister plants often grown together, are called '“canoe plants" because they were so important to the ancestors that they made it onto the canoes. Local availability of these crops will increase food security for native Hawaiians, offering locals more affordable, healthy options for food and beverages.

Jen Owens, FORAI, St. Louis, Missouri

Forai, Inc., is a faith-based, Christian 501(c)3 organization partnering with local refugee and immigrant women to enable the realization of economic, educational, and social goals through training and peer support, and by expanding market opportunities for artisans. Located in South City, St. Louis, MO, FORAI (Friends of Refugees and Immigrants) provides home-based and in-workshop incomes for women who can’t work outside home because of a barrier such as childcare needs or caring for another family member. FORAI offers artisan made jewelry and crafts to the St. Louis community. 

Josh Hayashi, Mission Management Company, Honolulu, Hawai’i:

Mission Management Company provides churches with alternative property based income options by matching them with mission-aligned partners who range from non-profits to real estate developers. MMC works with both churches in decline and thriving churches who need assistance in fully utilizing the assets of their church facility.

Mina Aria and Antajuan Adams, New Roots Urban Farm, St. Louis, MO

Mina Aria and Antajuan Adams run New Roots Urban Farm on reclaimed urban land, providing healthy local food plus urban farming resources and education for their low-income North St. Louis community. Recently devastated by fire, the farm is being revitalized and expanded, with a greenhouse and outdoor kitchen, chickens, and bees.

Marisa Prince and Calvin Lee, [GOSPEL], Boston, Massachusetts

Marisa Prince and Calvin Lee founded [GOSPEL] as an initiative to curate creative spaces and campaigns to catalyze more for the American Christian Church. [GOSPEL] innovates disruptive faith formation strategies to eradicate our country’s biggest problems.

Emanuel ‘Boo’ Milton, Cure with Love Strategies, Baton Rouge, LA

Cure with Love Strategies creates spaces of hope through social impact initiatives and consults with companies, educators, non­ profits, and governments on best practices for serving their communities. Through programs like C.H.I.L.L, a conflict resolution program for teens, and Spark Box, Social Emotional Learning kits for children, Milton offers hope and connection for disadvantaged youth in Baton Rouge.

Kerry Brodie, Emma’s Torch, Washington DC

Kerry Brodie founded Emma’s Torch with the mission of empowering refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking through culinary education. Now opening a location in Washington DC, Emma's Torch provides refugees with in-depth culinary training as well as employability, equity, and empowerment training. Read more about Kerry Brodie here.

Kamaile Pahukoa, Ke’anae Market, Maui, Hawai’i

Ke’anae Market was created by Kamaile Pahukoa, granddaughter of one of the church members of Ke'anae Congregational Church on the island. The market offers local vendors, farmers, and artists the chance to sell their products on the heavily traveled tourist road to Hana. Vendors at the market include farmers, local artists, bakers (the area is famous for banana bread), and candy makers.

Due to the legacy of colonization, generational poverty, and racism in Hawai’i, The church is in danger of losing their property; funds from the market will help with church expenses, maintenance and restoration. Read more about Kamaile’s work here.

Dustin Mailman, Deep Time Coffee, Asheville, North Carolina

Deep Time Coffee offers spiritual community, employment and personal development for persons impacted by incarceration. Located in Asheville, NC, Deep Time is developing a social enterprise that begins with roasting coffee. Mailman has purchased a coffee roaster and has begun selling coffee through popups and word of mouth, hiring returning citizens (recently incarcerated) who face overwhelming barriers to employment. Founder Dustin Mailman is a United Methodist pastor in Asheville who offers a “ministry of loitering” - connecting with those on the streets, the unhoused, and marginalized.

Nikole Lim, Freely in Hope, Berkeley, California

Freely in Hope is dedicated to equipping survivors and advocates to lead in ending sexual violence. Currently working in Zambia and Kenya, Freely in Hope is publishing a first children's book, promoting body automony and safety, which will be offered in the US along with a faith-based safe touch and body autonomy curriculum for churches and other organizations. Founder Nikole Lim is a survivor-advocate and educator on restorative storytelling and survivor-leadership models. Read more about Nikole Lim here.

Anna Clark, Lady 280, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Lady 280 is a safe, inclusive hair salon located in Colorado Springs, CO which also offers services for victims of sexual trafficking and violence. Founder and owner Anna Clark works with victims of violence whose hair has been shaved, dyed, or burned by those abusing and exploiting them as a "stamp of ownership" and as a way to make them look less reliable to law enforcement. She often works with clients just prior to court appearances for charges against their abusers to help provide confidence and to enhance their standing in the eyes of the court.

Carmelle Beaugelin, BeauFolio Studios, Princeton, New Jersey

BeauFolio Studio is an emerging art house at the intersection of Sacred Art, humancentered design, and restorative equity. Founder Carmelle Beaugelin, a Haitian- American multidisciplinary artist, offers CreatioDivina workshops, creativity consulting, and other opportunities to create art in worship spaces, as well as Lenten and other worship resources and commissioned art.

Johnetta Roberts, Blak Koffee, Louisville, Kentucky

Located in a newly renovated building in the West End of Louisville, a red-lined, low-income area, Blak Koffee was born when Roberts, trying to schedule a business meeting, couldn’t find a coffee shop with internet access in the neighborhood. Currently, Blak Koffee is run as a coffee cart “under the stairwell,” but will open in their own space in early 2023. Read more about Johnetta and Blak Koffee here.