News Release > Entergy helps minority business owners recover from Hurricane Ida with $500,000 in grants

Entergy helps minority business owners recover from Hurricane Ida with $500,000 in grants

02/22/2022

Grantees are Urban League of Louisiana, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Thrive New Orleans and Propeller

BATON ROUGE, La. – As part of our ongoing commitment to support our communities as they rebuild following Hurricane Ida, Entergy today awarded $500,000 in shareholder-funded grants to organizations helping minority small business owners recover from the devastating storm.

Grants are awarded to the following organizations:

• $150,000 to the Urban League of Louisiana’s Black Business Works Fund. The organization will use these funds to provide $2,500 micro-grants to minority-owned small businesses in areas impacted by Hurricane Ida for expenses such as repairs, rent, equipment, inventory, employee wages, benefits and other related issues. View additional information and application forms here. The Urban League of Louisiana provides business education workshops, one-on-one and small group counseling, hands-on technical assistance, and access to resources relevant to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs across various industries.
• $150,000 to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana. The chamber will use the funds to offer Latino-owned small business owners grants to help cover uninsured losses and impact from Hurricane Ida. Additional information on the grants program and applications will be available on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana’s website. The chamber is committed to creating and facilitating a business climate within the Hispanic community to stimulate economic development and progress for Louisiana.
• $200,000 to Thrive New Orleans and Propeller for their Resilience, Green Infrastructure and Recovery Entrepreneur Pipeline program for entrepreneurs of color. Thrive NOLA and Propeller will use the funds to help increase the share of green infrastructure and storm recovery contracts awarded to Black, Indigenous and people of color entrepreneurs and small business owners by equipping them to successfully bid and compete on hurricane recovery contracts and resilience projects.

In September 2021, Entergy announced an initial $1.25 million commitment in shareholder contributions to help nonprofit partners provide disaster relief and assistance with rebuilding and recovery. The minority small business owner initiative represents additional assistance specifically for businesses.

“We applaud Entergy’s commitment to supporting small, minority-owned businesses in those areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ida,” said Judy Reese Morse, president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana. “We understand the financial hardship the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida brought to our small business community. The Urban League of Louisiana, along with partners like Entergy, will continue the work of mobilizing the right resources that have a direct impact on the recovery and growth of these small businesses.”

“We are deeply grateful for this grant which gives us the opportunity to impact the hard-working Hispanic small business community that has bravely fought through the pandemic and natural disasters,” said Mayra Pineda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana. “Thank you to our long-time partner Entergy for their leadership and commitment to our community and to Louisiana. HCCL will continue to work diligently to bridge the gaps that prevent equity and inclusion.”

“As the community begins the arduous work of rebuilding after Hurricane Ida, there is an opportunity and an obligation to build back stronger with a focus on sustainability, equity and inclusion,” said Andrea Chen, cofounder and CEO of Propeller. “An equitable resiliency strategy must include equitable representation. Entergy’s $200,000 grant to Thrive NOLA and Propeller will help increase the share of contracts awarded to Black, Indigenous and people of color entrepreneurs and small business owners in green infrastructure, stormwater management and storm recovery by equipping them to successfully bid and compete on contracts and resilience projects.”

For more information about the Entergy Charitable Foundation grants, including application, deadline and eligibility details, visit the Entergy website.

About Entergy Corporation

For more than 100 years, Entergy has powered life in our communities through strategic philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy’s corporate social responsibility initiatives help create and sustain thriving communities, position the company for sustainable growth and are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our top CSR priorities are education/workforce development, poverty solutions and environmental programs. Each year, Entergy contributes $16-18 million in shareholder-funded grants to more than 2,000 nonprofit organizations in the communities where we operate. In addition, our employees volunteer approximately 100,000 hours in those communities annually, valued at a $3.75 million economic impact. Learn more about Entergy’s commitment to powering the lives of the communities we serve at entergy.com/community.

Entergy, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, powers life for 3 million customers across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy is creating a cleaner, more resilient energy future for everyone with our diverse power generation portfolio, including increasingly carbon-free energy sources. With roots in the Gulf South region for more than a century, Entergy is a recognized leader in corporate citizenship, delivering more than $100 million in economic benefits to local communities through philanthropy and advocacy efforts annually over the last several years. Our approximately 12,500 employees are dedicated to powering life today and for future generations. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife