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Changing the way people access the burliest waters in the country

Jason Blevins

September 28, 2018 |

The Colorado Sun |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Colorado

When faced with the challenge of creating a better raft to access unexplored whitewater, a family devised what is now known as the Alpacka Raft. Changing the way people can explore the outdoors, the family company has turned into "one of the largest custom outdoor gear manufacturing shops in the country."

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A Boost for the Worker-Owned Economy

Fran Korten

September 25, 2018 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Over two million baby boomers own their own companies, and with retirement looming, the government stepped in with a solution. A portion of a 2018 federal bill included language that will push the Small Business Administration to help baby boomers transition ownership of their companies to their employees if they wish. This will mitigate job loss often associated with a retiring business owner putting the company up for sale. Employee owners on average make a higher salary and have higher job stability, supporting the idea that employee ownership is beneficial for everyone involved, as well as for the econom

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England has more than 200,000 empty homes. How to revive them?

Mattha Busby

September 25, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Stockton-on-Tees

There are an estimated over 200,000 vacant homes across England, and Community Campus 87 is one group attempting to bring those homes back to life. By employing apprentices, some who have experienced homelessness, to learn skills such as house painting, the social enterprise is helping homes as well as homeless people bounce back. This is just one example of a handful of social enterprises that are funding the rebuilding of vacant properties with the goal of filling the old homes with more affordable and sustainable housing.

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Miami Thrift Store Gives Women Coming Out Of Prison Jobs

Nadege Green

September 23, 2018 |

WLRN |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

Ladies Empowerment Action Program (LEAP), a Miami nonprofit organization, is helping women transition out of prison and into employment. Women are connected to a transitional job at Dragonfly Thrift Boutique, a store built with the explicit purpose of employing women coming out of prison. During their release period, the female participants go through an entrepreneurship training program to urge them to one day start their own companies and further the cycle of employment.

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The town that gave the world Spam is proud to be ‘autism-friendly'

Amy Ellis Nutt

September 23, 2018 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Austin, Minnesota

In order to reduce autism stigma, the city of Austin, Minn., became an autism-friendly town. A system was created to label businesses as autism-friendly, if they implement specific requirements that reduce autism triggers like lowering the lights and diminishing loud noises, among others. Employees must also go through educational training's. So far, 15 businesses are designated as autism-friendly. The move, was “a grass-roots effort to improve our community. “Having this autism-friendly movement — it’s incredible to have people who want to understand.”

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Arizona's malt house saves water and helps local brewers

Corey Hawk

September 19, 2018 |

Cronkite News - Arizona PBS |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Camp Verde, Arizona

Swapping out water-intensive crops for barley alleviates demand on rivers like the Salt and Verde, which supply Phoenix, Arizona. A collaboration between the Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit, and farmers in the Verde Valley helped to save millions of gallons of water by encouraging the farmers to plant barley instead of corn. The farmers can sell their barley crop to a newly established malt house, Sinagua Malt. The malt house operates with the help of the Nature Conservancy, which has invested in the project.

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Lango women find wealth in shea tree

Bill Oketch

September 19, 2018 |

Daily Monitor |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Otuke

In a town in Uganda, women are taking control of their financial stability by joining together to market shea butter. Through a team effort, the women are able to make and sell lotion, bathing soap, edible oil and jelly from the shea butter they harvest from the local forest. This has allowed the women to both educate and provide housing for their families.

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Detroit welcomes immigrants to spur the city's revival

Jason Margolis

September 18, 2018 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Michigan, and Detroit in particular, has focused on bringing in immigrants to help the area grow. Several programs are helping migrant business owners succeed in their new home. Hatch Detroit helped Hamissi Mamba, a refugee from Burundi, start his own African-inspired restaurant. Motor City Match supplies funding for businesses, and Global Detroit helps make “Detroit more attractive and welcoming for immigrants.” Together, these groups are succeeding.

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Detroit Radical Childcare Collective: Not your typical babysitters

Melinda Clynes

September 18, 2018 |

Model D |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

A progressive childcare organization called the Detroit Radical Childcare Collective (DRCC) is filling a need for inclusive, socially-minded childcare options for working parents. The DRCC follows a set of guiding principles (called child-friendly activism), doesn't impose a gender binary, and promotes economic justice by offering their workers a living wage. The collaborative was started in December of 2016 and has since steadily increased in loyal clients and childcare applicants.

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Bookstores are finding creative ways to survive and thrive in the age of Amazon

Catherine Curan

September 14, 2018 |

Crain's New York Business |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Despite the looming competition from Amazon, independent bookstores in New York are finding ways to innovate and create bookstore experiences that go beyond the books. The Lit. Bar is a bookshop-wine bar in the Bronx that hopes to instill a love of reading while customers shop and drink. By selling non-book products, new iterations of bookstores can increase their profit margin to remain sustainable. Many even succeed with creative financing, from crowdfunding to finding local investors.

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