Veteran Small Business Owners Receive $10,000 in Veteran Business Grants

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The StreetShares Foundation announced today three winners of the April Veteran Small Business Awards. Winners will receive awards of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000.

March Winners

First Place: Kendra Simpkins, Army Veteran, Owner/Clinical Practitioner at Sarasota Rapid Resolution Therapy (Sarasota, Florida)

Second Place: Eddy Mejia, Army Veteran, Founder/CEO of ShoeBoxOne (Chicago, Illinois)

Third Place: Maria Mayes, Army Veteran, Founder, Managing Partner at Morgan Veteran Recruiting Group (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

About the Winners

Kendra Simpkins, clinical practitioner, opened Sarasota Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) because of her experienced as an Army veteran transitioning back into civilian life after a traumatic experience. The VA reports that 11 to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience PTSD. As a trained high-risk therapist, Simpkins found Rapid Resolution Therapy to be the most effective method to help her fellow veterans.

"Therapy sessions can be long and tedious," she said. "RRT takes one to two sessions to help patients become clear of trauma, gain peace, clarity and relief."

Eddy Mejia, founder of ShoeBoxOne, designed a display case for shoe collectors and enthusiasts or 'sneakerheads' to protect, present and preserve their shoe collections. After spending five years in the Army on two deployments overseas, he came back to finish his degree in computer engineering. Mejia wanted to become his own boss and entered the University of Chicago startup challenge. 'Sneakerheads' can now use ShoeBoxOne to display their shoes in a visually appealing glass case with LED lights and monitor the temperature through a mobile application.

Maria Mayes, an Army logistics veteran founded Morgan Veteran Recruiting Group (MVRG). After leaving the military, she gained logistics experience at Fortune 500 companies and helped her fellow veterans with resume writing. She wanted to do something she was passionate about – helping veterans transition to civilian life with full-time work in the corporate world. Mayes combined her passion and supply chain network to create MVRG, which focuses on placing military talent in highly-skilled supply chain management and technical positions.

About StreetShares Foundation

StreetShares Foundation, located outside of Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit affiliated with StreetShares, Inc. The mission of the StreetShares Foundation is to inspire, educate, and support veterans' business ownership. $10,000 in awards are given monthly to veteran, current reserve, active duty members and military spouse business owners. Top veteran business owners are presented online for a public vote.

Shauna Vo Pulayya  
571-325-2966 
[email protected]

SOURCE StreetShares, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.streetshares.com