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Meet the recipients of the Caress • IFWOC COVID-19 Grant Program

BY OLIVIA OWENS, GM OF IFWOC, IFUNDWOMEN

AUGUST 5, 2020

IFundWomen of Color was created with our founding partner Caress to help diverse entrepreneurs bring their dreams into reality through raising capital via crowdfunding and providing grants, coaching, and the connections needed to launch and grow successful businesses.

Caress is saddened by the severe impact that COVID-19 is wreaking on communities and on small businesses and entrepreneurs. They recognize that in this critical time, small businesses are struggling immensely and the disadvantages that women of color entrepreneurs face are only growing.  As a founding partner of IFundWomen of Color, Caress is proud to be supporting 200 women of color owned small businesses with $500,000 in grants for COVID-19 relief.

Meet this week's Caress • IFundWomen of Color COVID-19 grant recipients:

Courtney Allen
Founder of Esthetic Haus

Esthetic Haus helps women who are struggling with acne and hyperpigmentation so that they have clearer skin with our no-down-time chemical peel program.

Carmen Prince-Morris

50/50 Coffee House & Pub creates a safe and comfortable space for a diverse community to connect and call home by housing and selling products from local cottage industries as well as providing a licensed kitchen for them to grow their businesses. 

Danielle De La Fuente

The Amal Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, NGO that aims to empower displaced children through 4 pillars of support: 1) psychosocial support, 2) social-emotional learning, 3) early childhood development, and 4) peacebuilding.

Dawn Kelly

The Nourish Spot Inc is a healthy food & beverage haven assisting individuals within our community and beyond to consume a wholesome diet and live longer and healthier lives.

Lynnette Astaire Moore
Founder of Superfood School

Superfood School helps people of all diets to get more plants on their plates through products and programming.

Heather Le
Founder of Candidly

Candidly provides quick and affordable event photography services to families across the U.S. through a community of gig photographers.

Maghan Morin
Founder of Thynk Global

Thynk Global is pioneering the affordable workspace movement with truly affordable workspaces in Miami.

Maricza Valentin

Latin Rhythms Dance is a place to go to forget your worries and stress, oh and they can teach you to dance, too!

Octavia GIlmore
Founder of Creative Juice

Creative Juice is bringing diversity of thought and experience to the marketing space by hiring people from different walks of life to ensure different perspectives are represented.

Rachna Hukmani
Founder of Whiskey Stories

Whiskey Stories is more than a Michelin Guide recommended immersive, multisensory whiskey experience company. It is a community that support local chefs, actors/comics, one the few place that pay their comics and makes people feel they are part of something special. This is why people fly in from all over the world specifically to experience Whiskey Stories.

Tina Gray
Founder of What's on the Menu

What’s on the menu is a full service catering company unlike any other - creating recipes, ebooks, and sauces to encourage bringing the family back together with food being the foundation.

Vivian Gomez
Founder of OM Movement

OM Movement comes together as a community of passionate movement aficionados to share and educate. The mission at OM Movement is to embrace, design and celebrate physical, mental and spiritual evolution by providing a space and a community for people to connect, heal and elevate so they can better manage their day to day challenges mindfully and consciously through movement.

Yolanda Origel
Founder of Cancer Kinship

Unlike many cancer-serving organizations whose focus is on needed prevention and research programs, Cancer Kinship aims to address the emotional and psychosocial impact of cancer with programs that alleviate distress by providing a safe space and empowering activities that promote healthy behaviors and opportunities for human connections with fellow cancer survivors.

Gabrielle Crichlow

A Step Ahead Tutoring Services provides in-person and online tutoring and academic counseling, where the tutors come to you.

Marie Onyeani

Cafe Du Pain Bakery offers food, culture, experience to create a more delicious world.

Keianna Harrison
Founder of HER Home Design

Every house needs a little bit of ‘HER’ to make it a home. HER Home Design provides affordable, functional and BEAUTIFUL interior design, home decor, kitchen and bath design as well as home staging solutions.

Dianne Myles
Founder of Dope Mom Life

Dope Mom Life is a creative content agency that helps organizations with a diversity resource, service, or opportunity, create video content. These services bridge the gap between communities of color and organizations within specified industries. 

Iman Ingram
Founder of By Iman Akilah

By Iman Akilah designs and manufactures woven clothing for women who enjoy showing off their curves with class.

Takara Beathea-Gudell
Founder of Takara Designs

Takara Designs is creating and manufacturing women's clothing and accessories for women with “Everyday Elegance.“