GLAM4GOOD Empowers Women Changemakers at MIT's 3rd Annual Female Founders Pitch Competition
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GLAM4GOOD, the innovative female-founded and led social impact organization proudly announces its expanded mission to support female social impact entrepreneurs. This important initiative launched at MIT Sloan Club of New York's Annual MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition.
GLAM4GOOD's Social Good Grant program is part of the organization's broader initiative to uplift female-led ventures focused on equity, inclusion, and lasting social change. This marks the beginning of a growing effort by GLAM4GOOD to invest in and amplify
Share
As part of this collaboration, GLAM4GOOD awarded GLAM4GOOD Social Good Grants to two visionary ventures: Birth By Us, founded by Mercy Oladipo and Ijeoma Uche, and Givtra, founded by sisters Melinda and Janet Liu. These startups are driving change in healthcare equity and charitable giving, aligning with GLAM4GOOD's mission to uplift female founders creating impact at scale.
Birth By Us is innovating to improve maternal health outcomes in communities of color, while Givtra is pioneering trust-centered tools to make charitable donations more effective and transparent.
'Our support of these extraordinary female founders reflects GLAM4GOOD's deep commitment to empowering women who are transforming communities and industries through their work,' said Mary Alice Stephenson, Founder and CEO of GLAM4GOOD. 'We're proud to champion female leaders who are building ventures with purpose and lasting social impact.'
GLAM4GOOD's connection to MIT runs even deeper. In Summer 2024, Mary Alice Stephenson served as a mentor and board member for the prestigious MIT delta v Student Venture Accelerator, the capstone entrepreneurial program at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, which helps student entrepreneurs launch their ventures into the real world.
In another impactful moment, Mary Alice Stephenson was invited by Susan Neal at StartMIT, the Martin Trust Center's flagship bootcamp, to share her personal journey as a social entrepreneur with MIT students. 'Sharing the GLAM4GOOD founder story and our mission with over 200 students—both in the room and streaming in—was incredibly meaningful,' said Stephenson. 'To speak to the next generation of innovators about the power of purpose-driven leadership was a full-circle moment I'll never forget.'
The MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition, hosted annually by the MIT Sloan Club of New York, is the Club's flagship event and a powerful platform to address gender disparities in entrepreneurship. The event gathers founders, investors, experts, and sponsors to highlight and support underrepresented talent in venture creation.
'We are incredibly thankful to GLAM4GOOD for their amazing support and generous grant contribution to this year's MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition! Their commitment to social good is inspiring, and their support will make a real difference in helping our Social Good Grant winners turn bold and important ideas into impact." -Peter Dolch, Chair, MIT Sloan Alumni Club of NY
GLAM4GOOD's Social Good Grant program is part of the organization's broader initiative to uplift female-led ventures focused on equity, inclusion, and lasting social change. This marks the beginning of a growing effort by GLAM4GOOD to invest in and amplify women building a better world.
About GLAM4GOOD
GLAM4GOOD is a leading nonprofit that repurposes unused merchandise to address clothing and self-care insecurity in America. The organization bolsters self-esteem and empowers dignity while diverting industry excess, creating opportunities for people in need.
Founded in 2016 by Mary Alice Stephenson, GLAM4GOOD has been a pioneering force in addressing clothing and self-care insecurity and fashion sustainability across the US. The organization repurposes unused merchandise from top fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands to help those facing hardship.
As an event-driven foundation that provides life-changing experiences, free clothing & beauty giveaways, and confidence-bolstering initiatives to enhance the lives of everyday heroes and people in need, GLAM4GOOD has impacted more than 170,000 people in 32 states, delivering over $75 million in essential goods to individuals and families in need across the country.
The MIT Sloan Club of New York is a mission-driven organization that connects members of the MIT and Sloan communities through events that inspire, educate, and foster collaboration. With a commitment to equity and excellence, the Club plays a vital role in shaping the conversation around innovation and entrepreneurship.
Follow GLAM4GOOD on social media @GLAM4GOOD.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pret targets small-town Britain with launch of slower-paced cafes
Pret A Manger is to serve freshly made food on porcelain plates at sit-down cafes as it expands into small-town Britain. The London-headquartered chain has announced plans to trial new cafes that feel more like restaurants than takeaway shops, with food prepared to order behind a counter. Clare Clough, the chain's UK boss, said Pret wanted to become more of 'a destination for customers in a bit less of a rush who want a comfortable space to enjoy delicious food and spend time with family and friends'. Though widely known for its prevalence in London and its popularity among commuters, Pret has in recent years been focusing on suburban and remote areas – forcing it to adapt its stores to appeal to older customers and families, instead of busy workers. This month, it will open two cafes in Dundee and Maidenhead featuring more comfortable seating, a new menu and fewer fridges. Instead of chilled baguettes, the new sites will sell more hot products such as meatball and red pepper tapenade subs and sourdough toasties. While customers will be served food on porcelain crockery, they will still have to collect their orders from the counter in a manner similar to rivals such as Costa Coffee and Gail's. The focus on suburbs and more remote areas comes after Pret's city centre stores struggled during the pandemic and, since then, with the rise of working from home. More than 80pc of the sites it has opened since 2023 have been outside of London. The strategy has paid off, with Pret's revenues topping a record £1bn in 2023. A push to grow the business internationally in Europe and the US has also borne fruit after New York became its second-highest-grossing city outside London. However, it has struggled to stay profitable and faced criticism for raising prices. The chain has also come under pressure from both cheaper rivals and more expensive competitors in its London heartlands following the pandemic, spurring it to consider how it can broaden its appeal. Simon Stenning, hospitality industry expert and director of Future Foodservice, said: 'The competition has expanded, providing Pret customers with more options and more choice. 'And they're being challenged at the value-end of the spectrum with Greggs increasing their presence in London. 'I think it is Pret realising that, given their predicament of becoming very expensive for products which are better than standard but still fall a little short of the alternatives that are available to consumers, they need to shift the dial. 'You're not comparing a baguette from a chilled Pret cabinet with a baguette from a Greggs or a Sainsbury's cabinet now. What you're doing is comparing it to a baguette made freshly for you in a nice cafe environment or a bakery.' In 2015, the chain trialled evening meals at its flagship site on London's Strand. Called 'Good Evening with Pret', it sold wine and beers alongside a menu of small plates. The idea was never rolled out more widely. Last week, it emerged that JAB Holding, Pret's Luxembourg-headquartered private-equity backer, had appointed advisers to explore options for the chain, including a potential stock market float or bringing in another investor to shore up its finances. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pret targets small-town Britain with launch of slower-paced cafes
Pret A Manger is to serve freshly made food on porcelain plates at sit-down cafes as it expands into small-town Britain. The London-headquartered chain has announced plans to trial new cafes that feel more like restaurants than takeaway shops, with food prepared to order behind a counter. Clare Clough, the chain's UK boss, said Pret wanted to become more of 'a destination for customers in a bit less of a rush who want a comfortable space to enjoy delicious food and spend time with family and friends'. Though widely known for its prevalence in London and its popularity among commuters, Pret has in recent years been focusing on suburban and remote areas – forcing it to adapt its stores to appeal to older customers and families, instead of busy workers. This month, it will open two cafes in Dundee and Maidenhead featuring more comfortable seating, a new menu and fewer fridges. Instead of chilled baguettes, the new sites will sell more hot products such as meatball and red pepper tapenade subs and sourdough toasties. While customers will be served food on porcelain crockery, they will still have to collect their orders from the counter in a manner similar to rivals such as Costa Coffee and Gail's. The focus on suburbs and more remote areas comes after Pret's city centre stores struggled during the pandemic and, since then, with the rise of working from home. More than 80pc of the sites it has opened since 2023 have been outside of London. The strategy has paid off, with Pret's revenues topping a record £1bn in 2023. A push to grow the business internationally in Europe and the US has also borne fruit after New York became its second-highest-grossing city outside London. However, it has struggled to stay profitable and faced criticism for raising prices. The chain has also come under pressure from both cheaper rivals and more expensive competitors in its London heartlands following the pandemic, spurring it to consider how it can broaden its appeal. Simon Stenning, hospitality industry expert and director of Future Foodservice, said: 'The competition has expanded, providing Pret customers with more options and more choice. 'And they're being challenged at the value-end of the spectrum with Greggs increasing their presence in London. 'I think it is Pret realising that, given their predicament of becoming very expensive for products which are better than standard but still fall a little short of the alternatives that are available to consumers, they need to shift the dial. 'You're not comparing a baguette from a chilled Pret cabinet with a baguette from a Greggs or a Sainsbury's cabinet now. What you're doing is comparing it to a baguette made freshly for you in a nice cafe environment or a bakery.' In 2015, the chain trialled evening meals at its flagship site on London's Strand. Called 'Good Evening with Pret', it sold wine and beers alongside a menu of small plates. The idea was never rolled out more widely. Last week, it emerged that JAB Holding, Pret's Luxembourg-headquartered private-equity backer, had appointed advisers to explore options for the chain, including a potential stock market float or bringing in another investor to shore up its finances. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Target expands private label offerings through chef partnership
Dive Brief: Target announced Wednesday it has teamed up with James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott to launch 12 co-branded products for the retailer's Good & Gather Good & Gather Collabs + Rodney Scott collection features barbecue goods such as Carolina-style appetizers, relish, sauces, honey-flavored cornbread and muffin mix, and brown sugar baked collaboration marks Target's second time co-branding food items under its private label line as the retailer works to ramp up its offerings under its grocery brands. Dive Insight: The new collaboration comes at the beginning of the summer merchandising season, when consumers look to retailers for supplies to fuel their cookouts. All of the products under the new collab are under $9, with a majority under $4, Target said. An unspecified number of items under the collab will have a starting price of $2.99 for a limited time, according to the retailer. The items will be sold in stores and online starting June 1. Scott, who grew up in South Carolina, has "perfected the art of whole-hog BBQ" and brings a positive attitude, Target said. Target launched its first Good & Gather Collabs earlier this year with fellow James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Ann Kim. That line featured frozen pizzas and appetizers. Grocery, and especially private label grocery, is playing a key role in Target's summer plans. Earlier this month, Target included grocery items in its plans to add more than 10,000 items to its assortment this summer, with thousands priced below $20. The retailer has also planned in-store seasonal displays, including The Boardwalk Shop, a food and beverage destination featuring seasonal treats such as red, white and blue snacks and limited-time build-your-own s'mores kits. Target has also announced seasonal private label items like beef burger patties and several Favorite Day items, such as tart cherry ice cream, dill pickle pretzel twists and hot chili lime popcorn. Launched in 2019, Good & Gather is Target's top-selling private brand, with more than 2,500 items that are free from artificial flavors, synthetic colors, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup. Food and beverage was a bright spot in Target's first quarter as nearly all other categories recorded declines in sales during the period. Net and comparable-store sales were down 2.8% and 3.8%, respectively, for the quarter, the retailer reported earlier this month. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
