Press Release: Invested Faith Announces Fourth Class of Fellows
For immediate release: 06.09.22
Invested Faith Announces Fourth Class of Fellows
Washington, DC: Invested Faith is excited to announce the names of their fourth class of Invested Faith Fellows. These faith-rooted social innovators are working to address systemic issues of justice in their communities while building a sustainable financial model. Fellows receive a $5000 unrestricted grant and an invitation to tell their story through the Invested Faith community and website.
Invested Faith founder Dr. Amy Butler finds inspiration in their work. “In these moments when hope seems hard to come by, meeting these Fellows and learning about their work sustains and encourages me. I’m so delighted to welcome this fourth class of Invested Faith Fellows,” said Butler.
These individuals were selected as Invested Faith Fellows in June of 2022.
Eugene Kim, Burlington, Massachusetts: New Wine Collective
Rev. Eugene Kim is the founder and director of New Wine Collective, a non-profit organization with a mission to help heal the world through love and connection by making spiritual community accessible to all. New Wine is creating an innovative online tool that helps facilitate face-to-face spiritual conversations and community. This app/online platform would empower people to co-create their own spiritual community wherever they are, on their own terms, and would support a fundamentally different approach to "church" that lowers barriers, flattens hierarchies, and allows every voice to be heard.
Heather McDuffee and Pryncess Favors, Colorado Springs, CO: Creation @ The Edge:
Heather McDuffee and Pryncess Favors are co-owners of Creations @ The Edge, a makers boutique that features handmade products by women. This boutique helps fund women who have a passion for their craft and want to turn a side hustle into a small business. Founded during the pandemic to empower women who left or were forced out of the workforce, often due to child care or elder care issues, Creations @ The Edge is helping women close the wage gap and gain greater purpose and financial freedom.
Naz Georgas, New York, NY: Cordoba House Sunday School
Naz Ahmed Georgas pioneered the establishment of the Cordoba House Sunday School, a weekend education program in NYC. The program was launched to meet the needs of growing American Muslim families seeking a Sunday school education that is both authentically Islamic and relevant to contemporary American life. Founded in 2017 in collaboration with educators from Muslim and interfaith institutions, including the Brick Presbyterian Church in NYC, the Cordoba House Sunday School has already received awards for community empowerment and service to the education of children and youth.
Biff Chaplow, Denver, Colorado: EEqual
Biff Chaplow is a parent, artist, and activist for economic justice. They currently serve as the Executive Director for EEqual, a youth-led nonprofit working to ensure homeless youth have equal access to higher education. EEqual believes housing is a human right, education is a human right, and intergenerational leadership is key to addressing these issues. EEqual takes a two-pronged approach to meeting the needs of students, providing direct resources to students experiencing homelessness as well as breaking the stigma surrounding student homelessness by opening chapters across the country and developing curriculum and education materials to meet the challenge of youth homelessness.
About Invested Faith: Invested Faith is a fund for faith-rooted social innovators founded by Rev. Dr. Amy Butler in 2019 in response to declining church attendance and the need for a new model of philanthropy. Invested Faith works to become a bridge between traditional churches and social innovators who are creating new expressions of faith and community. The fund is located at ImpactAssets, leading facilitator of direct impact investing within donor advised funds.
For additional information and photos, visit the Press Center at Invested Faith.
Media Contact:
Anita Flowers, Communications
investedfaith.org/press-center
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