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.
Daquanta Copeland
Every position I hold, every board or committee I’m on, and the organization I founded, has allowed me to intentional serve, represent, educate, and uplift the underserve community. As the first and only Community Engagement Coordinator with the Affordable Housing & Community Revitalization Dept. for Wake County Government, I get to bridge the gaps between government and community residents, non-profits, businesses, town & city staff by creating effective and sustainable relationships with education of resources, how to access resources, and advocacy to provide resources specially to the needs of the community. Read more>>
Nazym Ibrayeva
Yes, my consultancy serves an underserved community by providing specialized legal and advisory services for American companies entering the Central Asian markets, a region that is often overlooked by Western businesses. Central Asia is a complex, yet emerging market with significant growth potential, especially in industries like energy, infrastructure, and technology. However, the legal and regulatory environment can be challenging to navigate without deep regional expertise. Read more>>
Jailan Dennis
Yes, our Nonprofit Youth Praise Ministries Inc. Has a ministry named the Stokes & Dennis Outreach Ministry. which serves an underserved community with deep commitment and compassion. One of the most impactful ways we know will be great is our upcoming “Nourish and Flourish” food assistance program, which provides groceries and meals to seniors and college students who are often overlooked in food insecurity discussions. Many seniors struggle with limited mobility and fixed incomes, making it challenging to access nutritious food. College students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, often face tough choices between paying for tuition and basic needs like food. Read more>>
Christ-lee Lizaire-ganthier
The Pelagie Resource Center, located in Conyers, GA, is committed to serving underserved communities by connecting individuals to much-needed resources. Our mission focuses on supporting those escaping domestic violence, living with HIV/AIDS, veterans, and individuals living below the poverty threshold.
One story that highlights our impact involves a Navy veteran who came to us after losing their home and struggling to navigate the complex network of support services. At the Pelagie Resource Center, we connected the veteran to emergency shelter, identification assistance, and workforce development programs. Through these resources and our partnership with Qualified Staffing Conyers, the veteran was able to find stable employment and regain a sense of purpose. Read more>>
Darius Watkins
Six Twelve Sports serves youth aged 6-17 in the Memphis metropolitan area. Our mission is to “create equitable access to youth sports in order to meet the physical, mental, spiritual, and mentoring needs of youth in the Memphis metropolitan area.” We create equitable access to youth sports primarily through offering sports camps to Memphis youth. There are two different types of camps that we have: completely free sports camps during breaks and traditional sports camps that cost to attend. We provide scholarships to the traditional camps on a needs basis. Our goal is for 40% of our campers to attend traditional camps for free because that number mirrors the historical Memphis childhood poverty rate. Read more>>
Devynne Starks
HERide was created specifically to serve an underserved community: women who have been overlooked in the ridesharing industry when it comes to safety and comfort. In 2018, Uber reported nearly 3,000 sexual assault incidents in the U.S., while Lyft received over 4,000 reports between 2017-2019. These numbers highlight a critical gap in the industry, leaving women feeling vulnerable and without safe alternatives. Read more>>
Gloria Sakombi Walker
Yes, A Gesture of Love DRCongo serves an underserved community. Our mission focuses on providing education, leadership training, and essential resources to vulnerable populations, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where systemic challenges such as poverty, political instability, and lack of infrastructure have left many communities without access to quality education or opportunities for growth. Read more>>