Latest news with #GiveButter
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Charlotte Launches ‘First-Of-Its-Kind' Black Innovation Hub To Empower Entrepreneurs
Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the country's premier cities when it comes to Black-owned businesses and a new effort from Cauthy Dawkins and other members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce is set to create a hub designed specifically for those businesses. According to The Charlotte Observer, the chamber acquired an unused property and has poured resources into transforming the building into what Dawkins calls a 'one-stop shop for professionals and small businesses,' in hopes of helping entrepreneurs, improving Charlotte's economic growth, and fighting food insecurity. The Innovation Center, as the property is now known, will feature an agri-tech program for farmers, event spaces for business meetings, co-working spaces for startups, entrepreneurs and nonprofits; as well as a retail store and a distribution center for small businesses. To figure out how the space could be best utilized, Dawkins visited other cities with similar hubs, cities like Atlanta, Washington D.C., and nearby Durham, North Carolina, and what he came away with from those tours ultimately led him to create a first-of-its-kind hub for Black-owned businesses and professionals in Charlotte. 'As things in the community get taken away, like federal funding and grants, we want to be a safe space,' Dawkins told the Observer. 'I wanted to create a safe space for business owners and professionals to come get elevated.' The chamber spent approximately $30,000 to acquire the building, and is in the process of launching a $3.7 million fundraising campaign to attract funding for the necessary renovations in order to accommodate the chamber's vision for the space. According to two of the chamber's advisors Kneshia Gabriel and Jeremy Johnson, the space has been needed in the city and the Charlotte metro area in general for quite some time. 'We just want to bring more locals here to help expand their experience and help them figure out what they want to do,' Gabriel told the Observer. 'It's definitely needed and I can see it being a great resource and support system for those looking to thrive in the business community,' Johnson added. According to the fundraiser for the Black Innovation Center, which is listed on the fundraising platform Give Butter, 'Charlotte is evolving. Yet too often, Black entrepreneurs are excluded from the opportunities shaping its future. The Innovation Center–CLT is a bold response—designed to close the gap, elevate ideas, and drive inclusive innovation. We're creating a dynamic space where: Black-owned businesses scale with real support, creatives build brands and media that move culture, communities grow wealth and networks—together. And your investment makes it possible.' RELATED CONTENT: 'We Needed This Forever': Black Business Hub Launches In Wisconsin
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Afghan refugee family in need of help after patriarch dies of heart attack
Genesis Youth Foundation is asking for the community's support for an Afghan refugee family facing hardship after recently losing their patriarch. The family, which participates in the Des Moines nonprofit's soccer programs, can't pay rent, utilities and other basic needs, said Sam Gabriel, who launched the organization with his wife, Tricia Gabriel, and who came to Iowa themselves as Liberian refugees. The foundation launched a $10,000 fundraising campaign May 21 — a goal that was met in two days — for the family, who have struggled to resettle in Des Moines since they arrived in 2021. Sam Gabriel said the organization will continue to accept donations aimed at helping the family over the next three to six months get back on their feet. Money raised on GiveButter, which by May 23 reached over $11,000, will be used to cover the family's living expenses and mental health and grief counseling. Gabriel said his staff is working to enroll the children in different summer programs and the family in social benefit programs. More: 'We don't have anything': Des Moines pastor loses everything, 3 family members in fire Noor Pari Jan Darmaan, 41, said her family's journey to Iowa comes with hardship. Her husband, who last week died from a heart attack, was the sole provider but had a tough time finding steady work and later fell ill, putting Darmaan's eldest son — 16-year-old Waliullah Darmaan — in an even tougher predicament. Waliullah, a sophomore at Roosevelt High School, recently left school for a part-time job to support his mother and four siblings. He said he works nights, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and in the mornings, he takes his siblings to school. "They faced a lot of challenges, like they became homeless," said Ameer Karimy, a bilingual family liaison at Des Moines Public Schools who provided translation for the Darmaans. "They went to live in the shelter. ... Her husband was jobless for two and a half years. "He was trying to apply for different jobs. He applied, but nobody accepted his application." Part of the Gabriels' campaign seeks to offer job training for Noor Pari Jan Darmaan and her eldest daughter, who is 18, and some financial stability so Waliullah Darmaan can return to school. "It's kind of hard for him," Karimy said of the weight Wailullah now carries. "And he also wants to continue with his schooling, too." To donate, visit More information about Genesis Youth Foundation can be found online at F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@ or follow her on X @writefelissa. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Afghan refugee family in need of help after patriarch dies
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Could a bar that shows only women's sports open in Des Moines? This entrepreneur is trying.
Could a bar that shows only women's sports open in Des Moines? This entrepreneur is trying. Ash McClain found themselves watching a lot of women's sports. Caitlin Clark and her rise from the Iowa Hawkeyes to the first pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, followed by her rookie season, as well as Iowa State sensation Audi Crooks fueled that fandom. Serena Williams on the tennis court and gymnastics phenom Simone Biles kept the fires going. Women's soccer and the World Cup added gas to the flames. McClain, who uses they/them pronouns, found that most sports bars concentrate on men's sports, and if they show a women's match, the sound is off. Advertisement They want to change that by opening Des Moines' first women's sports-focused bar and venue. Ash McClain wants to open the first bar dedicated to women's sports in the Des Moines metro. 'We believe there's no better time to celebrate women's sports in our community,' McClain said. 'The venue will be located in the heart of Des Moines and aims to be more than just a sports bar — we envision it as a gathering space that elevates and celebrates women's athletics at all levels, from local high school teams to professional leagues.' The vision for the first women's sports bar in Des Moines stems from the Sports Bra, a similar bar in Portland, Oregon. McClain envisions "craft beers, creative mocktails, and inclusive menu options" for their bar. Advertisement For now, it's a dream for McClain as they attempt to raise $20,000 in funding through GiveButter to cover securing a location, as well as some inventory and equipment. 'While we're pursuing traditional financing and small business loans, we believe our community can help make this dream a reality,' they said. McClain, who was born in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, moved to Cedar Rapids at age 14 and played basketball through middle school. 'Basketball has been my passion,' they said. McClain's partner graduated from Iowa State and McClain is an assistant coach for their daughter's fourth grade team. 'Together, we're not just opening a bar — we're creating Iowa's first home for women's sports fans, where every game is the main event and every fan belongs,' they wrote on the fundraising page. 'Our plans to create an inclusive space that supports local athletes.' So far, the fund is at 2% of its $20,000 goal. To learn more, visit Advertisement More: Nick Tillinghast of Hello, Marjorie fame plans to open a sports bar in downtown Des Moines Sign up for our new dining newsletter, The Dish, which comes out on Wednesday mornings with all the latest news on restaurants and bars in the metro. You can sign up for free at If you see a new restaurant opening or a beloved place closing, send me some details at sstapleton@ Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@ This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa entrepreneur wants to open Des Moines' first women's sports bar
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dangerous Man Brewing will cease operations this month
At the end of March, Dangerous Man Brewing will "hang up the brewing paddle." The brewery announced plans to shut down operations in a social media post on Friday, which details the final chance to grab a taste of beer from the beloved brewery behind the Peanut Butter Porter. Dangerous Man closed its Northeast Minneapolis taproom in 2023 and launched a fundraiser last spring with hopes of building a seasonal taproom that would have sat next to its Maple Lake production facility. The brewery was a beloved and innovative pillar during the Twin Cities craft beer boom after opening in 2013. "All good things must come to an end, and part of the journey is knowing when to embrace change. Now is that moment for us," the brewery wrote on Facebook. "Like many in our industry, we've faced changes and challenges, and are in a position where we can make the call with intention, our staff, and future in mind." No other details were offered on the reasons for the brewery's closure. The announcement adds that individuals who donated to its campaign for a new taproom through GiveButter will receive refunds. Meanwhile, there are a few final opportunities to grab a taste of Dangerous Man. Its beer and THC drinks will remain in stores and bars until it's sold out. It'll also release its final beer, Last Cal IIPA, on March 25. "With more gratitude than sadness, we say goodbye," the brewery writes. "THANK YOU for the love & support you poured into Dangerous Man. As we wind down over the next few weeks, grab another pack, raise a glass to the memories, and to all you hold dear. Let's toast to the last call of something great & the beauty of new beginnings." While the Northeast taproom shuttered in 2023, Dangerous Man's closure is the latest in a run of Twin Cities brewery and distillery closures since the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes the end of Able Seedhouse, Number Twelve Cider, 612 Brew, Eastlake Brewing, Lakes & Legends, Tin Whiskers, Clutch Brewing, Tatersall Distilling (which still has a space in Wisconsin), the Finnegans taproom (it's now "in residency" at Fulton Brewing), and the recent closure of Fair State Cooperative's production facility. Outside of the Twin Cities, Chanhassen Brewing, Back Shed Brewing, Mankato Brewing, Foremost Brewing Cooperative, Chaotic Good Brewing, Forge & Foundry Distilling, and the Leinenkugel's brewery in Chippewa Falls have all closed since November.
