Stories

In 2017, Sidney Baptista founded running club PIONEERS Run Crew in Dorchester, where he grew up, to build an inclusive space for runners of color. His goal was to diversify Boston’s running scene and make the sport accessible and equitable…

Delivering Jobs, Healthy Food Access & Community Investment Across Massachusetts The Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP) is a quiet but powerful example of effective public policy. By supporting independent grocery stores, food hubs, and farm-to-table operations, MFTP strengthens our regional…

After 70 years serving Urbana, Ohio, Rob Fetz was ready to retire from his business, Fetz Plumbing. His sons had other careers so they were not an option for taking it over. And selling his company to outside investors was…

Waku, an immigrant-owned company in Brighton, MA specializes in traditional prebiotic teas using ethically sourced ingredients from farmers in Ecuador. Childhood friends, Nico Estrella and Juan Giraldo, founded Waku in 2019 to share prebiotic herbal teas with American consumers. Waku…

Worker cooperatives thrive in all industries across the United States. Now the cooperative model has expanded into a floating relaxation service, Float On, in Portland, Oregon. What is Floating? Floating, is an immersive experience in tanks filled with body-temperature water…

In February 2020, just weeks before pandemic shutdowns, Gena Mavuli opened Create Art in Community in Roslindale. That could have ended her entrepreneurial dream but instead it became a catalyst. Art would help fill the gap when people needed to…

LEAF’s Elevate Small Business team’s theory of change is that stable businesses help create financially stable communities. And to be a financially stable business, you need: access to capital, access to advisory services, and access to customers to buy their…

Omo Moses, Author, The White Peril

Digger Foods Mobile Market, Brockton MA