One of the most important ways to have a large impact in life is by focusing on communities that are ignored and overlooked. These communities are often the ones most in need of help, tools, and services but for a variety of reasons the largest players in most industries chose not to work on serving them. We’ve been so touched by the thousands of members of our community who are working on serving the underserved from tackling food deserts to building empowering solutions for the neurodiverse. Each week, you’ll find us highlighting folks serving underserved communities.

Naseema McElroy

The personal finance space has traditional gatekept people of color. I break down those barriers by making wealth-building accessible to others. As a black single mother, I have been able to pay off nearly a million dollars in debt and build my net worth to nearly a million dollars in seven years. I am setting my daughters up to be millionaires as early adults. Read more>>

Courtney Greer

I used to teach elementary school children. I started my career working with special needs students. I really miss working with special needs kids so I named a package after my first student ever, Sully. It gives parents the gift of time. No extra charges for extra time, they can take all the time they need. Having a child with special needs means it may take longer for them to warm up and feel comfortable, or there might be meltdowns that happen and I don’t want parents to feel stressed and rushed. I also give away a free family session to a special needs family once or twice a season. I have already met some really amazing people this way! Read more>>

Brian Agnew

Serving the Underserved. Read more>>

Lia Latty.

The reason I started Black Is Magazine was to support a demographic that has been historically underrepresented in the photo world: Black photographic artists. Read more>>

Derek Robison.

Pushing Ahead is a 501(c)(3) non profit and charity that strives to empower vulnerable youth through skateboarding. Read more>>

Corona Jones

how you got into your industry In 2002 I started working in education at a private academy. My entire career has revolves around serving + educating the community. Currently I offer a few services + creative works for my clients; •Affirmation cards for the spiritual gangsta • Go get that bag affirmation coins •Alternative therapy sessions for mental health and spiritual wellness My clients give me a chance to guide them on their healing journey. Read more>>

Leia Hunt

Leia’s Kids works with families and children battling childhood cancer. The following questions highlight what Leia’s Kids does to help bring hope and joy to families suffering. Read more>>

Nina Balistrere

I run a special needs dance class for all ages I have special needs dancers dance in all shows Read more>>

Bridget Wilson

I currently teach baking/cooking classes at the middle school which I once attended. Read more>>

Joyce Franklin-Smith

We help families who do not have resources to cover a loved ones funeral or burial cost. Read more>>

Rijoun Murphy

Opportunities come every once in blue moon, most importantly depending on or your geographical location the opportunity of becoming successful lessens. My purpose is to show others this theory change be shifted while also creating job opportunities at the same time. I’m Order to fulfill the needs and wants of others, Di-VerZe E.N.T was created for those with the skill sets to further their careers in the entertainment industry Read more>>

Sarah Littlejohn

This topic is vital to our business mission. There’s a two fold response. We serve two underserved populations, though they overlap. First, those seeking all natural methods of dealing with pain and anxiety/stress. Second, those who want that, but also need to feel supported just as they are. We’re not a fancy spa or intimidating yoga studio. We are real people who have been in the shoes of someone who may not have felt fully at home in a more traditional spa or studio. Read more>>

Troy Stegner.

When I moved to Las Cruces, NM back in 2004, there was no comic book store. There was a Hastings that sold comics and pop culture merchandise, but getting a subscription that delivered on a consistent basis was nearly impossible. After months of my comic book subscription not being filled or having issues missing, I decided I could do a much better job. I started Zia Comics in a small storefront and grew it to fit in an 8,000 square foot store over a few years. Read more>>

Tiffany Tipton

A major part of my business’s mission is to be inclusive for the community. Having a child with special needs brought to my attention just how little resources there are locally for children and adults in our community to not only participate in, but also enjoy, services typical members of society use as basic needs or as self care. Read more>>

Rodney Scott

Many of us have dreams and aspirations but not all of us have the resources or tools available to be in an ideal situation. I realized this early on as a youth watching local business owners try to make a way but struggle with growth because there simpy wasnt a budget for operations, accounting, and expansion through marketing etc. Many times this was due to a lack of education and or ability to seek reasonable resources to build a team around a business to grow their efforts. Read more>>

Adrian Rentz

The elderly community is often overlooked and underserved. For the past two years I have partnered with the Panola Gardens senior housing community to host a monthly birthday hour. During that time we celebrate the birthdays of the residents for the given month. I am their personal chef for the hour, and prepare them freshly prepared meals. We also fellow and have a good time. After speaking with some of the residents one on one, I didn’t realize how appreciative they were of the meals I prepared for them as I learned that this is a luxury for them. Read more>>

Whitney Thompson

Serving the underserved to me, in my business means great quality skincare should not break the bank! I believe just like great healthcare everyone should be able to afford great skincare! Spending hundreds to thousands on harmful skincare products that don’t work is a thing of the past! Read more>>

Nicholas Swart

In 2017 I began volunteering at the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter in downtown Minneapolis. One of the first people I met at the door was George Floyd, the hired security guard. For the next year or so I interacted with Floyd nearly every time I entered the building, asking him for a parking pass for my vehicle. His portrayal in the media has toggled between being demonized and being martyred, however, at the end of the day I think it is important to understand that for this brief time in his life he was doing good work. Read more>>

Chrishawndra Matthews

I founded Literacy in the H.O.O.D. (Helping Out Our Disenfranchised) in 2017. I was frustrated by my struggle to find adequate reading and language programs for my then 3- year old son Derrick. I knew other parents had to share the same frustration as I did. There was nowhere in the inner city where I could find programs for my son, I always had to drive to the suburbs. So I decided to start this non-profit. My goal is to build a culture of reading in Cleveland’s underserved neighborhoods. Read more>>

Maria Koegl.

Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank (DF2FM) provides pet food to distribution partners at no charge via the Stay…or Go program. These partners serve low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families. These families include children, disabled individuals, and individuals who may have no one else in their lives – except for these pets. DF2FM aims to keep families together – whole families – and that includes their companion animals. When people are met with uncertain and difficult times, Read more>>

Nakisha Adams

Serving the underserved. In our business we work with a lot of grassroots organizations who do not necessarily have access to resources to assist in elevating their organizations. Read more>>

Carline Beaubrun

Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third live in poverty. Read more>>

Samantha Stigler

My purpose as photographer it’s exactly this: serving the underserved and giving a voice to the unheard. Read more>>

Charon King-Willis

Our mission is to tap into the untapped labor pool of individuals begging for an opportunity. Read more>>

Zondi Krehbiel

As Realtor, I believe I am a public servant and in a very good position to serve the underserved in our communities. Read more>>

William Hill

Hello my name is William, I am a Navy Veteran and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I grew up in Minden Louisiana/ Mccomb MS, as a youth I didn’t realize all of the opportunities that were available due to the state of education at the time. I knew I wanted to over come poverty and be the first one in my family to-graduate so I decided to enlist in the Navy Reserve to help pay for college. Shortly after joining the reserve I was deployed to Afghanistan where I was able to help defend our country. Upon returning I finished nursing school and began to work in the Intensive Care Unit at Mayo Clinic. Read more>>

Brian Cano Sr.

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself? I am a simple man with a simple plan. Additionally, I am a bona-fide multimedia journalist who publishes hyperlocal ‘newsworthy’ information. My goal is to fill public media voids, – gaps, and construct empathetic bridges through understanding. Read more>>

Stephen Bellosi

Financial Professionals are generally only available to those who are wealthy. The system is broken and there is no incentive for professional to provide advice or give their time to those who really need it. Objective financial advice and planning is only available to those who can afford to pay for it. The same holds true for financial or insurance products especially for creative professionals. Read more>>