Maryland business owner wins $25K grant from Verizon, tickets to Super Bowl
It all happened on Friday, Jan. 24, when , owner of Hortiki Plants, was invited to Verizon's Office on I Street, in Washington, D.C., under the assumption she would film a video about her business as a semi-finalist for a grant.
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That's when Mario Acosta-Velez, a Senior Director of Local Engagement and Responsible Business for Verizon along with his colleagues surprised Dr. LeBeaux with a $25,000 check.
But that wasn't all, Dr. LeBeaux was also gifted an all-expenses paid trip and ticket package to see the Chiefs and Eagles matchup on Feb. 9 at
'I'm so thankful and so excited to win this grant right now, because it's a pivotal point for our business,' said Dr. LeBeaux, in a release.
She is part of Verizon's , which provides participants with free online classes, tools, coaching, networking and grants.
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According to , Dr. LeBeaux started her business in 2017 to make sustainable gardening simple and fun.
The Black-women-owned business, provides garden kits that cater to children in grades PreK through 12, STEM-based education through science, art, math, reading, puzzling and games.
Verizon said Dr. LeBeaux is one of three grant recipients to be surprised with the $25,000 grant and a Super Bowl tickets package.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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