The ODP Corporation Awards First Round of Grants to Minority-Owned Small Businesses Through Elevate Together™

Rhea-AI Summary

The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ:ODP) announced the selection of six minority-owned businesses in South Florida to receive cash grants through Elevate Together™, a program aimed at supporting Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs. Each selected business will receive a $10,000 grant to promote growth and innovation. The initiative is a collaboration with the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Urban League of Broward County. ODP initially invested $250,000 to kickstart this program, which additionally offers mentorship to grant recipients.

Positive

• Launch of Elevate Together™ to support minority-owned businesses.
• Investment of $250,000 to promote small business growth.
• Successful identification and awarding of grants to six businesses.

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• None.

The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ:ODP), a leading provider of business services, products and digital workplace technology solutions through an integrated B2B distribution platform with an online presence and approximately 1,100 stores, today announced that six minority-owned businesses in South Florida have been selected to receive the first-ever round of small business cash grants through Elevate Together™ powered by Round It Up America®.

The ODP Corporation collaborated with the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Urban League of Broward County to help identify Black- and Hispanic-owned small businesses in South Florida to benefit from cash grants through this program based on criteria created by local selection committees. Qualified small businesses with five or fewer employees were asked to apply and provide a short video about their business model and how they would use the grant to help elevate their business.

The first Elevate Together™ cash grant recipients were notified of their $10,000 awards during virtual and in-person celebrations with nonprofit community partners and The ODP Corporation representatives, including CEO Gerry Smith. From investing in digital marketing tools to hiring new employees and purchasing updated business equipment, each of the following South Florida entrepreneurs will use their grants to help propel their businesses to new heights:

• Attiyya Atkins – A+ Editing & Content Creation, a full-service ghostwriting and editing agency.

• Stephanie Cetoute – Amer-Plus Janitorial & Maintenance, a commercial cleaning and janitorial services company, focused on promoting healthy living through healthy spaces.

• Lazaro Garcia – ServiceMaster by Enterprise, a water damage restoration company, providing services for homeowners and businesses.

• Irenia Mesa – Iris Eyelash & Spa, a cosmetic beauty services company that offers eyelash extensions, lash lifts, facials, nail services and more.

• David Muir – Island Syndicate, a creative services company with a mission of storytelling excellence.

• Nadeige Sterlin – La Paix Bakery, a family-owned bakery that serves authentic Haitian baked goods, foods, and beverages.

“We’re excited to support these small businesses with cash grants to help them continue to innovate, grow and prosper,” said Smith. “We look forward to expanding our reach and helping to cultivate new entrepreneurial opportunities for Black and Hispanic small businesses with cash grant awards and more through Elevate Together™ powered by Round It Up America®.”

The selected small businesses will also be matched with trained, certified small business mentors, to provide long-term advisory support as they continue to grow.

“Small Businesses are the backbone of every community and the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) is thrilled to partner with The ODP Corporation to help provide support to these entrepreneurs through Elevate Together™,” said Liliam M. Lopez, president and chief executive officer for the SFLHCC. “These grants will be very impactful in the future growth and development of these respective businesses.”

Elevate Together™, introduced earlier this year, was designed to help accelerate the creation, growth, and prosperity of Black and Hispanic small businesses through education, access, and aid, in collaboration with the National Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Centers and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. As the founding partner of this non-profit initiative, The ODP Corporation proudly pledged an initial investment of $250,000 to help kickstart the program in five markets and provide eligible small business owners with access to technical assistance programming, mentorship services, professional networks and more.

"The Elevate Together™ program presents an opportunity for access, exposure, and sustainable growth for communities that have traditionally been underserved," said Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, president and chief executive officer for the Urban League of Broward County. "We are proud to partner with The ODP Corporation to help meet the unique needs of minority business owners and entrepreneurs throughout South Florida.”

To learn more about Elevate Together™ powered by Round It Up America® visit ElevateTogether.org.

About The ODP Corporation

The ODP Corporation (NASDAQ:ODP) is a leading provider of business services and supplies, products and digital workplace technology solutions to small, medium and enterprise businesses, through an integrated business-to-business (B2B) distribution platform, which includes world-class supply chain and distribution operations, dedicated sales professionals and technicians, online presence, and approximately 1,100 stores. Through its banner brands Office Depot®, OfficeMax®, CompuCom® and Grand&Toy®, as well as others, the company offers its customers the tools and resources they need to focus on their passion of starting, growing and running their business. For more information, visit news.theodpcorp.com and investor.theodpcorp.com.

The ODP Corporation and Office Depot are trademarks of The Office Club, Inc. OfficeMax is a trademark of OMX, Inc. CompuCom is a trademark of CompuCom Systems, Inc. Grand&Toy is a trademark of Grand & Toy, LLC in Canada. ©2021 Office Depot, LLC. All rights reserved. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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FAQ

What is Elevate Together™ by ODP Corporation?

Elevate Together™ is a program launched by ODP Corporation to support Black and Hispanic small businesses through cash grants and mentorship.

How much funding did ODP Corporation provide for the Elevate Together™ program?

ODP Corporation initially invested $250,000 to support the Elevate Together™ initiative.

How many businesses received grants from ODP in South Florida?

Six minority-owned businesses in South Florida received grants of $10,000 each through the Elevate Together™ program.

When were the Elevate Together™ grant recipients announced?

The grant recipients were announced during virtual and in-person celebrations, although the specific date is not provided in the PR.

What criteria were used to select the grant recipients?

The grant recipients were chosen based on criteria developed by local selection committees in collaboration with ODP Corporation.