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.

Nikki Gane-Butler

Seattle and King County are facing a homelessness crisis. Data from the All-Home King County January 2022 Count Us In survey show a total of 13,368 individuals are experiencing homelessness, the majority of whom are people of color. Data also show that thirty-eight percent of people experiencing homelessness are women. For women who have recently transitioned into housing, the stress, fear and social isolation they felt while experiencing homelessness doesn’t end. Read more>>

J. Scott Crossen

I wrote the book Later, I Learned to reveal the truth about diabetes, its impact on 34 million people nationwide, and why a cure for the disease has not been found. I have lived with the condition for over sixty years and witnessed its effect on my life and the lives of those who cannot afford medicine and supplies, through the many who are unaware of the disease’s severe health consequences from not paying attention. Read more>>

Kiana Gadson

As a social worker and a fellow community member in Hillsborough County, Florida, I have found that it has become increasingly evident that middle-income families are facing unique and often overlooked struggles when there is a loss of income in the home. When an unexpected loss of finances takes place, many are caught in the gap between qualifying for traditional assistance programs and being able to fully meet their financial obligations. Read more>>

Kenneth Gilliard

Sparked by a conversation between some of Wilmington’s Top Black Planners, What would it look like to be in a place that showcased our talents? We discussed the idea of creating a space for us, by us. I picked up the charge, planned, curated, and executed the vision. The Coastal Wedding Expo is a one-stop-shop wedding experience that highlights and promotes ethnically minority-owned businesses in an industry where we are often priced out and overlooked. Read more>>

Matthew Moore

In my late 20’s I befriended a talented artist that was at the early stages of their career. I was surprised to learn that even though we both lived in the city of Chicago, artist representation was still very difficult to achieve. It was baffling to me that this talented individual found it difficult to find support in a city so large. So I took time to research the art industry. I studied the commission structure, how galleries operated and looked in ways to update the standard protocol. Read more>>

Mike Hess

People with disabilities have long been an underserved population, facing barriers that limit their full participation in various aspects of society. This exclusion not only hinders their personal development but also deprives society of the diverse talents and perspectives they bring. The oversight of the needs of people with disabilities is a critical social issue that demands attention and action. Read more>>

Joshua Aguirre

In the heart of North Carolina and now Colorado’s bustling entrepreneurial scene, Cressio stands as a beacon of hope for those often overlooked by the traditional business consultancy landscape. Our mission is rooted in serving underserved communities, particularly self-identifying underprivileged entrepreneurs who are brimming with potential but lack the necessary resources and guidance. Read more>>

Alyssa Ebba

As of right now, Ebbalasting Photography is not yet teamed up with any underserved communities but we are always open minded and accepting. I strongly believe that it is important to help those in need. Not only because I was one of them before with my mom and our family just having come to the US from the Philippines; but also because I love helping people. Read more>>

Dalaise Hickey

When I first decided to launch BabyDonna, it was very important that we were purpose driven and truly doing work to make change in the world. Being a social worker for over 15 years, I have mostly worked in the legal non profit world with youth and families often impacted by systemic injustice.  Read more>>

Stanley Vaganov

Few years ago myself and our agency were asked to participate in a Co-Create program hosted by Adobe. That aimed to pair creatives with small business owners in United States. We were partnered with a Black Woman Owned business. Through our collaboration with her I have learned just how terribly underserved Black Entrepreneurs are. There are virtually very little financial support and startup resources available for people of color. Read more>>

David Riera

Most of South Florida is interconnected by and through underserved (under-resourced) communities, when we (you the readers) consider that most of the written/published histories of Bee Keeping as a science and as well as an art form in North America predominately indicates/highlights the work of white men and if we are lucky a few white women we would think that people of color, Indigenous, African, Arabic, and Asian did not have a continue to have a guiding, educational, philosophical, and stewarding hands in the efforts to protect bees and mutipled other ecologically and economically beneficial pollinators (of which bees are just one of the pollinators). Read more>>

April McDaniel

A former Detroit educator, Apryle started a second career when she had trouble finding high-quality natural skincare products and decided to make her own. Along the way, she earned an esthetician certification from Aveda Institute and completed an MBA degree from Walsh College. Today, she is on an unwavering mission to provide women with the products and wisdom they need to own their beauty, stand in their confidence and show up inspired every day.  Read more>>

Avery Watts

Rugby, traditionally in the hood is not something that’s heard of typically. There may be one or two kids who may have heard of the game or randomly had a P.E. Teacher have it be part of the curriculum, but in terms of a club team for them to grow up in, the same way that a kid can grow up playing AAU or pop Warner? Unheard of. Read more>>

Eric Jones

Our organization is deeply committed to serving an underserved community in our area, particularly through kings Kids Outreach . This initiative was born out of a stark realization: many students in our community were continually missing school, resulting in poor academic performance. The reasons were multifold – lack of proper guidance at home, socio-economic challenges, or simply the lack of motivation to attend school.  Read more>>