Ten minority-owned Springfield businesses are recipients of grants to help them thrive and grow.
The Downtown Springfield Association and the US Bank Foundation awarded $5,000 each to the businesses. The money is part of the ASCEND program, which stands for Advancing Springfield’s Commitment to Entrepreneurship, Networking & Diversity. The program began in 2022 to support diverse small business development, according to the DSA. The Missouri State University efactory and the Multicultural Business Association are also involved in the program.
An event Friday, September 13, to officially award the grants was held at Mama G’s Kitchen at Market and College in downtown Springfield. Their menu features a variety of soul food. Owner Gloria Hairston, one of this year's ASCEND grant recipients, said their top four sellers are catfish, fried chicken, fried pork chops and meatloaf. Hairston opened the business – her 2nd Mama G’s restaurant location – two months ago.
"With the new location came a lot of expenses," she said, "so it's going to help me with like marketing, employees, everything. It's just — it came right on time."
Hairston said she also plans to take advantage of a year of free workshops offered to grant recipients by the efactory through its early-stage business bootcamp program. The efactory was awarded $100,000 by the US Bank Foundation to support the bootcamp program, which is offered across southern Missouri.
Steve Williams, owner of Crosstown Barbeque, a Springfield business on E. Division started by his father Jessie in 1970, is another 2024 Ascend grant recipient. Crosstown also has a food truck on S. Campbell. The brick and mortar business was impacted by a lengthy construction project on Division east of National. Williams said he plans to use part of the money for marketing "to get people back over there and the word out that we're open and also about the food truck and also, you know, to pay employees."
Williams hopes, now that the Division St. construction is finished, people will start to come back to his restaurant. He also caters and sells smoked turkeys and hams for the holidays. And he said he hopes to find an apprentice who might take over when he retires.
Other ASCEND grant recipients this year are Esther’s Couture LLC; Mahogany Sound Stage; Niq’s Property Preservation LLC; Yo Seasonings LLC; COG Studios LLC; Genesis Brain Center; Queen City Soul Kitchen; and Terry’s Deluxe Stump Grinding.
The story was edited for clarification about who awards the grants.
