Press Release: Invested Faith Awards 14th Class of Fellows
For immediate release: 2-19-2025
Invested Faith Awards 14th Class of Fellows
Washington, DC: In less than 4 years, Invested Faith has awarded 67 Fellowships to faith-rooted social entrepreneurs and now announce Invested FaithFaith community, and the opportunity to join the Invested Faith RESOURCED program, a peer support network of Fellows across the U.S.
Invested Faith Fellows are working in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The first class of Fellows was awarded in July of 2021.
Invested Faith Founder Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler notes:
“The way of love has always included brave truth-tellers who pushed back at institutions that hurt our neighbors and create systems that separate us from each other. We are living in perilous times, watching our neighbors suffer and living with a fear of what lies ahead. And so we return again to the way of love. Invested Faith is extraordinarily proud to announce a fourteenth class of Invested Faith Fellows leading the way for us all. Congratulations, and may we do the same, always.”
The following individuals were selected as Invested Faith Fellows in January of 2025:
Cynthia Daniels
North Texas TRANSportation Network
Fort Worth, Texas
The North Texas TRANSportation Network (NTTN) provides travel and relocation grants to North Texas families seeking out-of-state health care for trans and gender-expansive youth. Led by Cynthia Daniels, NTTN strives to ensure that every transgender and gender-diverse minor in North Texas has access to the healthcare they need, regardless of geographical barriers.
Jonathan Thomas
The Garden Studio+Cafe+Kitchen
Ferguson, Missouri
A closed coffee shop that had been a central gathering place for the Ferguson community is preparing to re-open in March as The Garden, a space for connection and conversation. In 2019, Civil Righteousness, a non-profit founded by Jonathan Thomas, purchased the building. Today, they have renovated the coffee shop and cafe, added an art gallery designed for contemplation, as well as a commercial commissary kitchen which will offer affordable space to local food entrepreneurs. A mentorship program for local entrepreneurs will help revitalize the Ferguson community through economic growth.
Samantha Mathews
Andrée Collective
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Andrée Collective serves female survivors of complex trauma who have fled situations of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in a two fold manner: employment and therapy. Founded by Samantha Mathews. Andrée Collective offers professional job training in various aspects of the wedding industry while also providing group and individual evidence-based trauma therapy with licensed mental health professionals.
Ray’Chel Wilson
ForOurLastNames
Tulsa, Oklahoma
ForOurLastNames tackles economic inequities by empowering first-generation wealth builders with financial-trauma-informed tools to redirect financial behaviors and resources to break the cycle of poverty. Struck by the economic disparity in Tulsa, founder Ray’Chel Wilson creates resources for holistic financial literacy as a step toward closing the racial and gender wealth gaps.
Ebony Smith
Gracefull Grind Strategies
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Ebony Smith, Founder and CEO of Gracefull Grind Strategies, is a growth-driven digital strategist focused on redefining what it means to reach and connect with people through digital marketing. Through partnerships with community-serving organizations and initiatives, Ebony works to mobilize a community that takes action and prioritizes non-profits working in the areas of gun violence, workforce development, family services and education equity.
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 is a bridge between traditional churches and social innovators who are creating new expressions of faith and community.
For additional information and photos, visit the Press Center at Invested Faith.
Media Contact:
Anita Flowers, Coordinator
investedfaith.org/press-center
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