Goodr may be on everyone’s radar thanks to rapper Gunna’s partnership with the food insecurity nonprofit but none of it would be possible without the singular vision of founder Jasmine Crowe. In a recent op-ed for Newsweek, Crowe explained why she continues her mission and is now offering a “free grocery store” for seniors. “We began thinking about who else could benefit and what other population has the greatest need. We knew from my work with seniors that a lot are experiencing food insecurity. I personally have been working with seniors for 10 years; providing food in senior homes and buying groceries for individuals myself,” she explained. And Crowe’s concerns are well-placed. According to a study by the National Council on Aging, about 7.3 million senior adults are considered “food insecure.” Seniors with disabilities, and those who live in southern and western states, are more likely to face food insecurity than those who are not disabled or who live in northern states. This...

Longtime local innovator Felecia Hatcher — a serial entrepreneur and champion for minority tech business-owners — is reportedly stepping down from her role at Miami’s Center for Black Innovation to lead Black Ambition — a nonprofit organization founded by Grammy-winning artist Pharrell Williams, Bizwomen shares. Black Ambition — a new venture recently launched this past December — was created in hopes of funding projects and companies led by Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. “Excited to finally be able to announce that I have accepted a role as CEO of Black Ambition a bold vision founded by Pharrell Williams to connect Black & Latinx and HBCU startup founders to unprecedented capital and access through prize competitions,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Excited to lead this! Excited to be in a position to directly fund founders. The best part….although a nationally-focused organization we will be based in Miami. Excited for the journey ahead.” Hatcher is well-known for being a...

Byte Back CEO Elizabeth Lindsey is stepping down to take on the role as CEO of Urban Alliance, a national youth workforce development nonprofit. Byte Back is a tech inclusion nonprofit with presence across the DMV region. The nonprofit offers computer training, IT certification and career services for adults seeking careers in tech. Lindsey worked at Byte Back for five and a half years before thinking about the possibility of moving on. “I wasn’t actively looking for something at all,” Lindsey told AfroTech in a video interview. “I’ve always wanted to run a national organization and Urban Alliance has sites in D.C., Baltimore, Chicago and Detroit. It’s quite a bit larger than Byte Back and the work that Urban Alliance does is just so close to my heart.” Lindsey said the search firm that Urban Alliance hired reached out to her after the nonprofit’s current CEO, Eshauna Smith, recommended her for the lead role. She applied for the position and after two months of interviewing, she...

LinkedIn revealed earlier this year that a person is nine times more likely to get a job through a referral . The obvious question is if someone doesn’t have a big professional network, how can they break into getting a middle class job? A lack of social capital becomes a burden for job applicants who feel they have done everything “right” in their journey, yet struggle to secure a career opportunity. Thankfully there are programs whose purpose is to help people build professional networks, and learn technical and soft skills to get a great job. Climb Hire — founded by Nitzan Pelman in 2019 — is one of them. The Bay Area-based non-for-profit startup — funded by Eric Schmidt, a former CEO of Google — creates economic opportunity for hidden talent. They train people to become Salesforce administrators . Salesforce is a massive $16 billion company and according to the IDC , they are projecting over 3.3 million new jobs will be created by the end of 2022. Gaining technical skills is an...

Kaiser Permanente has appointed Gregory A. Adams as its new chairman and chief executive officer . Adams has a long history with the Oakland, California-based nonprofit, which aims to transform the healthcare of its 12.2 million members. Adams, whose distinguished career reflects a longstanding commitment to healthcare, previously served as Kaiser Permanente’s executive vice president, where he oversaw health and hospital operations across several regions. He serves on several boards , including the National Association of Health Services Executives, as well as the California Hospital and the American Hospitality associations. Adams expressed his dedication to Kaiser’s mission and to the path that lies ahead, deeming the appointment “ truly an honor to be named Chairman and CEO of this amazing organization .” AfroTech Editorial // Morgan Debaun and Bernard Tyson onstage at AfroTech 2019 Gregory Adams succeeds Bernard J. Tyson, who died last month at the age of 60. Tyson appeared at...

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners. Converting a for-profit business to a nonprofit entity could be a smart move if charity and community impact has become your focus as a business owner. But making the change requires more than applying for tax-exempt status. The process would largely depend on your state’s laws regarding business conversions, and not every company can become a nonprofit organization without a good reason for doing so. Only certain types of businesses can turn into a tax-exempt entity, a procedure that requires filing paperwork with state organizations and the IRS. Keep reading to learn what it takes to turn a for-profit enterprise into a nonprofit organization, and if it’s the right move for your business. In this guide, we’ll cover: Reasons to convert a for-profit business to a nonprofit Converting...