EmPOWERED to Serve business accelerator awards $72K to Md. Black farmers

Five Black farmers from Maryland were awarded a combined $72,000 in grant funding Feb. 7 to expand access to resources and improve the long-term health of all people in Maryland.

The funding was received through the American Heart Association’s EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator – Maryland Black Farmers, supported by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

Since November, participants received training in business and brand storytelling, worked with a cohort of other Maryland Black farmer shared their stories at an in-person Finale event before a panel of local business leaders.

Geb-ra Organics, a startup that aims to build an Aquaponics farming complex in Baltimore using recycled shipping containers, with a public and private school system training program, won first place and $35,000 in grant funding.

Crystal Levine of CodaBax, received $25,000 and Ashley Drakeford of The Capital Market, received $10,000. The Francis family of Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm and Doug Adams of New Brooklyn Farms each received a $1,000 stipend for participating in the accelerator.

Through the EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator – Maryland Black Farmers, the American Heart Association and CareFirst seek to reduce the disparity of Black farmers’ representation and economic participation in Maryland’s agriculture sector, increase economic opportunity for Black farmers in the state and improve access to healthy food.