Propeller: A Force For Social Innovation recently hosted its annual PitchNOLA: Living Well, competition designed to find ideas that help narrow disparities in access to healthcare and nutritious food.
The 10 semi-finalists originally were vying for two $5,000 prizes, one for the best food pitch and another for the best health pitch. Propeller then announced there had been an anonymous donation made and that the prize pot was doubled and that there would be four $5,000 prizes.
Meet all the winning entrepreneurs below:
- Okra Abbey is a giving garden that grows fruit and vegetables and shares free community meals for food insecure individuals in New Orleans.
- RePurpose Food Co. rescues food waste to create healthy baby food for low-income communities of color.
- Gienetix provides innovative products that remove harmful plaque and bacteria to tackle periodontal disease and the systemic health issues they cause.
- Saul’s Light Foundation helps New Orleans families navigate the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) journey by providing non-medical, financial assistance and supports them through the trauma of infant loss by offering mental health-based services. Saul’s Light Foundation also received the Audience Favorite Award of $500.
Information about all of the semi-finalists here.