Press Release: Invested Faith Awards Second Round of Grants
For Immediate Release: 11.17.21
Invested Faith Awards Second Round of Grants to Faith-Rooted Entrepreneurs
Washington, DC: Invested Faith announces the second round of small grants for 2021 which have been awarded to four faith-rooted entrepreneurs, called Fellows. Invested Faith Fellows work to create community, do justice, and address systemic problems in their own communities.
“The creativity and innovation in the work of our latest Fellows is deeply inspiring to me. Whenever I feel discouraged about the state of the world I think of these entrepreneurs and remember that God continues the work of healing through efforts like theirs,” said Invested Faith founder, Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler.
Invested Faith Fellows are selected based on five criteria: their efforts are rooted in faith, creating community, doing justice, addressing systemic problems, and building sustainable business models. Fellows are chosen by Invested Faith Advisors: Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, De’Amon Harges, and Dr. Joanne Solis-Walker. Fellows receive a $5000 unrestricted grant and an invitation to tell their story through the Invested Faith community and website.
These four individuals were selected as the second round of Invested Faith Fellows.
Alisha Gordon, Harlem, New York: The Current Project Rev. Alisha L. Gordon is a faith leader, preacher, and educator whose work intersects faith, culture, and politics. Gordon is the founder of the The Current Project in Harlem, NYC, an advocacy-centered mission driven organization focused on supporting the well-being of Black single mothers. TCP supports the transformation of women by connecting mothers to the resources needed to attain and maintain economic stability, helping them launch careers or projects that sustain their families and help them build security.
Ronnie Farmer, Marion, Indiana: The I Have a Dream Preschool Academy. Ronnie Farmer is the managing director of the I Have a Dream Preschool in Marion, Indiana which champions racial reconciliation among children. The preschool academy is a language immersion early childhood education program, whose mission is to cultivate a love for self, a love for God, and a love for one’s neighbor within the hearts of children. The academy employs native Spanish speakers and encourages racial justice, understanding, and global citizenry through age appropriate programs.
Leah Lonsbury, Atlanta, Georgia: Just Bakery. Rev. Leah Lonsbury is the Executive Director and Founder of Just Bakery of Atlanta, a nonprofit organization that trains, certifies and employs resettled refugees to make and sell pastries, bread and other baked goods. Just Bakery provides job training and a living wage to new Americans to create a more diverse, inclusive and compassionate community.
Alisha Madden, Indianapolis, Indiana: Spolks Alisha Madden is the project manager for Spolks Bike Shop in the Riverside neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana. Spolks was created by neighbors after a plea for an organization to address crime prevention in the area. Local youth are trained as bike mechanics, paid a fair wage, and are offered a safe, supportive space in a neighborhood where rates of crime and incarceration are high. Bikes are offered for sale or given to those needing transportation in exchange for work hours at the shop.
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. Grounded in a theology of abundance, Invested Faith works to become a bridge between traditional churches and social innovators who are creating new expressions of faith and community. Small, unrestricted grants to social entrepreneurs and innovators are made at regular intervals throughout the year. 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.
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Anita Flowers | Communications
anita@investedfaith.org
202-618-2361
