GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: THRIVE NEW ORLEANS

One of our first grantees was Thrive New Orleans. Thrive is a local nonprofit that runs a community center, creates employment pathways, provides affordable housing, and supports entrepreneurs of color.

Thrive’s Executive Director, Chuck Morse, was strategic about how to best use the grant from the Greater Together Fund. The pandemic has been difficult on our local businesses, and Chuck knew many Black entrepreneurs were struggling within an already difficult landscape. Though over a third of all businesses in New Orleans are owned by people of color, they receive just 2% of gross sales in the city. Morse knew that supporting these entrepreneurs would have a ripple effect not just on our economy, but on the health and well-being of our community.

Morse is guided by a belief that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” So he and his team showed care first. They talked one-on-one with Black business owners in our city to understand the financial and emotional toll the pandemic was taking on them, and to offer help in navigating the obstacles they faced. Thrive then used the Greater Together funds to offer accounting guidance, business seminars, and legal resources for nearly 300 local businesses. This left businesses stronger, and entrepreneurs and their families with more of the resources they needed.

- Chuck

There is, of course, no single pathway toward racial equity in our nation or our region. We know no single organization or individual can carry this alone. That’s why we support a diverse coalition of dedicated people working to make change. We are grateful for the conviction of our donors in standing with us and with those on the front lines.