There’s a concept of the Matthew Effect which uses math to illustrate what folks have lamented about for thousands of years – the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. Take tech for example – the rich and poor often have different problems, but because it’s more profitable to solve problems for the wealthy a disproportionate share of tech innovation focuses on solving problems for the affluent. However, it doesn’t have to be this way – and we have been blown away by the thousands of members of our community who have devoted their lives through their businesses, organizations and art to serve the underserved.

Robert Washington

Yes, our business, Shelter Share, serves an often-overlooked and critically underserved community: nonprofit organizations and mutual aid groups working on the front lines of housing insecurity and homelessness.

Many of these groups operate with limited resources, outdated tools, and siloed communication systems, making it hard to collaborate or scale their impact. One example that sticks with us is a small grassroots mutual aid group in a mid-sized city that was helping families find temporary shelter after being displaced. They were using spreadsheets, group chats, and word-of-mouth to coordinate beds, donations, and volunteers. It was chaotic, and often people in need fell through the cracks simply because there was no central system. Read more>>

Jamaal Shabazz

There is an extensive history, and present day struggles of Black/African people across the globe as well as people in lower economic classes, due to numerous factors. My business and community efforts combat this. My products and services provide re-education, entertainment and inspiration which equips individuals with the information and inspiration to improve their overall quality of life, as well as their communities. This is done through my Knowledge of Self Trivia App, Knowledge of Self board game, lectures and speeches, youth program, novel, upcoming animated series, social media content and more. Read more>>

Otis Byrd

Yes, our firm is deeply committed to serving middle American families, a community that is often overlooked in the financial landscape. These families work tirelessly, balancing multiple jobs and responsibilities, yet they frequently find themselves excluded from the investment opportunities that are typically available to wealthier individuals. Read more>>

Wynter Rhys

Serving the underserved is an aspect of filmmaking and storytelling that I live for, and I surround myself with and work with people who live for it, too. Serving the underserved can look like a lot of different things, and sometimes, being heard and having your story told is one aspect of this that I believe should never go overlooked. Many, many people and communities have stories that are left in the margins. Read more>>

Laurie Jill Strickland

I love what I do- developing and telling stories across mediums- helping others get their stories told.
One of the things I am most passionate about is telling stories about communities and people who we don’t often hear about in film, television, theatre, podcasts and literature. I also love to help small businesses and artists get the story of what they do and create out into the world to reach the hearts of those who need it most. Read more>>

Mark Parson

“Everyone’s got a song inside, waiting to be free.” straight, Outta middle school I understood that.
It all started when I was about 15 and got my first MacBook. I was super excited because this was my first personal computer.. of course I did the usual which was browse the Internet and play video games, but Apple gave me a gem. They gave me access to GarageBand. Read more>>

David DeLooper

In my current role, a strong focus is to provide the creative community within the sports world, an often overlooked and underserved segment that exists at the intersection of sports and culture. Traditionally, sports storytelling has focused on what happens on the court or field, but there’s a rich narrative off the court that deserves to be seen, celebrated, and amplified. That’s where our efforts come in, bridging the gap between sports and art on and off the court. Read more>>

Jamie Franklin

At Acquire JDF Corp, we specialize in serving the often overlooked and underserved sectors of real estate. Many of the properties we work with are distressed and require extensive rehabilitation, making them ineligible for traditional listings on the MLS. These homes may need everything from structural repairs to cosmetic overhauls, but we see potential where others see problems. Read more>>