Business and Finance
With their vast resources, corporations could be champions of racial equality, but they often hesitate
NEW YORK (AP) — Forward Through Ferguson has left its mark on its community and the St. Louis region with a deal with justice and education, racial equality and police reform.
The Missouri-based nonprofit was founded in 2015 to implement the social changes outlined within the Ferguson Commission report, which aim to handle the problems that contributed to the police shooting death of Michael Brown Jr. and the riots that later erupted in Ferguson, Missouri.
New nonprofits and similar organizations trying to support the community have seen an influx of money from corporations like St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch and from large philanthropies, from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the NBA Players Association Foundation.
It didn’t last long, Annissa McCaskill, executive director of Forward Through Ferguson, told The Associated Press.
She doesn’t need to dwell on the negatives, since so many individuals have generously donated to the organization. But she won’t forget the community group that promised her years of support for the nonprofit, then decided after the primary 12 months that it now not desired to pay. “Our priorities have changed,” the group said. Local businesses that originally supported the group have also stopped, “changing their priorities again.”
It’s not like her organization has ever received the tens of millions in donations that many firms prefer to brag about. In fact, experts say it’s very difficult to trace where the cash from corporations and their foundations goes.
“In many cases, it’s piecemeal,” McCaskill said. “But when you put pennies in the jar, it starts to add up. Sure, I think, ‘How many things do I have to do to get this fund endowed?’”
This lament is common across philanthropy, especially amongst organizations that depend on public donations annually relatively than those, corresponding to Ivy League colleges, which have large endowments that generate regular annual income. It’s also not unusual for nonprofits to see a surge in giving when their cause, from protests to weather events, is within the highlight, only to quickly see the donations dry up.
But the racial reckoning that erupted in Ferguson was alleged to be different.
This article is a component of an AP series examining the impact, legacy and fallout of the rebellion often called the Ferguson rebellion that erupted a decade ago after Brown’s death.
Emerson Electric, a Fortune 500 company headquartered 1 mile (1.6 km) from where Brown was killed, announced its Ferguson Forward initiative a month after the protests. The initiative has committed about $4 million over five years to enhance education, offer college and trade school scholarships, and supply business development for community residents, hoping that other area firms will match it. In 2014, Emerson earned about $2.1 billion in profit on $25 billion in sales.
Experts say firms have many reasons for giving to the community, from the altruistic and civic to the business-related, including retaining employees and constructing a stronger customer and worker base.
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Recent trends indicate that increasingly corporations are offering discounted goods and services along with donating money to communities, says Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas, managing director and COO of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, a coalition that advises firms on sustainability and company social responsibility.
“The broad definition of giving, which includes volunteering, community giving, and providing services and products to nonprofit organizations, has increased from 24% of overall corporate or social giving budgets in 2021 to 35% of those budgets in 2023,” Niedfeldt-Thomas said, in response to CECP research.
However, the present negative response to anything that could be considered a diversity, equality or inclusion programme makes it difficult to measure corporate engagement, at the same time as firms allocate more resources to it, she added.
Earl Lewis, professor and director of the Center for Social Solutions on the University of Michigan, said the shortage of transparency is very striking after the avalanche of corporate guarantees and statements following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Lewis, who previously headed the Mellon Foundation, and his research team designed a database to make information concerning the commitments and actions of America’s largest corporations on racial equality more accessible.
“Maybe there was a way to actually take people’s word for it that they were going to do something and then try to determine if we could find data in the public domain that supported their claims,” Lewis said, explaining that they had contacted all the businesses on their list and would update the outcomes if they responded with public information.
Companies have few requirements to make this information public, but if they make donations through a company foundation, they will include it on their tax forms.
Lewis’s team, led by data scientist Brad Bottoms, combed through the statements and reports of 51 of the most important U.S. firms from 2020. Just over half, or 27 of the 51, made a public commitment to racial equality this 12 months. Of the businesses that didn’t make a pledge, the researchers found that 10 mentioned racial equality when reporting their giving.
The six firms that made guarantees didn’t provide details on how they delivered, which Lewis and his team said was a priority.
One of those firms, AT&T, didn’t reply to questions on whether it had followed through on its $10 million pledge to historically black colleges and universities.
Social media giant Meta said it has made good on a promise to present $10 million to organizations working for racial equality. The company also said it has given $20 million in money and $12 million in promoting credits to 400 nonprofits serving Black communities, which Meta has not previously publicly disclosed.
Consumer giant Johnson & Johnson said it had spent $80 million of a planned $100 million by the top of 2023 on “community-led organizations and programs” to scale back racial health care inequities, but didn’t specify which organizations.
Business and Finance
BlackWolf Rideshare debuts in Texas
Armed drivers will have the opportunity to drive around major Texas cities because of a brand new ride-sharing service called BlackWolf, which is known as “Uber with a gun”,
The a small ride-sharing startup has gained popularity on the social media app TikTok – with greater than 500,000 followers – and is recruiting experienced drivers in Dallas, Houston and Austin. Founder and owner Kerry KingBrown said the corporate hopes to take over Texas streets in late 2024 or early 2025. “It’s about protecting people,” he said. “Everyone deserves a chance and everyone deserves to drive safely.”
A former private security director with 20 years of experience said that the thought for BlackWolf got here about when he was guiding a lady who had fallen victim to human trafficking. His client on the time encouraged him to create transportation for individuals who needed greater than only a ride, but extra peace of mind. KingBrown revealed that the service shouldn’t be about weapons, but more about educating riders on firearms training and de-escalation techniques. “At the end of the day, you know you’re getting into a safe car,” said the startup founder.
“The driver will know what to do in an emergency. This weapon will likely be the last resort.
AND A May 2023 article suggested that corporations like BlackWolf were filling the gap on gun violence in America. Another company created an oversized, collapsible secure for schools, and one other developed bulletproof backpacks and faculty desks.
The data confirms that apps like BlackWolf are needed. After launching in Atlanta in 2023, the app has been downloaded greater than 300,000 times in Miami, Orlando and Phoenix. The addition of Texas to the growing list was the results of a poll in which social media followers indicated which state must be next. The app hopes to employ 35 to 50 drivers in each city in the Lone Star State.
additional protection will cost customers — expected to be 10-15% higher than average Uber or Lyft rates. BlackWolf’s cost could be more comparable to the associated fee of an Uber Black ride, but KingBrown is not fearful in regards to the company being seen as a further ride-sharing competitor. Their drivers aren’t allowed to hold weapons on the job. “The gunmen are licensed, they are checked, and most of them are former military or law enforcement officers,” he said.
“These people know how to carry a gun. They were trained in this.”
KingBrown has identified who the drivers will goal. He wants BlackWolf to concentrate on veterans and first responders, including cops, firefighters and paramedics. It could be a probability for them to place their skills to good use. However, we encourage anyone who’s eligible to use.
Business and Finance
Grocery prices continue to rise, but some states are feeling the brunt of the crisis
From 2020, grocery prices in the USA have increased According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, by 20%. According to the latest data collected by American households in 2023, American households spent roughly $270.21 per week on groceries. United States Census Bureau.
Hawaii and Alaska rank amongst the highest, with average weekly costs of $334 and $329, respectively. Both states receive a major amount of food from the mainland, so shipping costs drive up prices.
Californians pay a mean of $298 every week for groceries – the third highest in the country. The total cost of living in the Sunshine State is 38.5% higher than the national average, making it one of the most costly states lives in, according to.
On average, Mississippians pay $291 per week for food, it’s reported to be the fifth largest in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mississippi’s poverty rate is eighteen%, making it the second most impoverished state in the country. Similarly, New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the country and food costs are amongst the highest.
Midwestern states like Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin have some of the lowest food costs in the country, with the average weekly grocery bill starting from $231 to $235. These states are amongst the leading agricultural producers in the country, which lowers food prices.
In August 2024, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan announced that the agency planned to investigate grocery prices, which have been rising steadily since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We want to make sure that major companies do not use their power to inflate grocery store prices for American families,” he added. Khan said in a press release. Additionally, this increase in grocery prices could have a fair more significant impact on Black Americans. While the overall poverty rate in the United States is 11%, data shows that African-American poverty is sort of 18%. collected by United States Census Bureau. In a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, researchers discovered that compared to the national average, African Americans are more likely to experience food insecurity.
Business and Finance
The study shows the cheapest cities with affordable rent
On October 21, real estate company Clever published a study on the cheapest cities to live in for employees earning minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is $7.25, but it surely varies by state. The study took under consideration state minimum wage and basic rental costs when determining which cities are best.
“Clever evaluated the 50 largest housing markets in the United States, examining typical rental prices for various apartment sizes and their relationship to the minimum wage in the area.”
Earning the federal minimum wage signifies that a full-time employee will live below the poverty line. Before taxes, the worker would earn $1,190 monthly. Many of the locations listed are only above the poverty line, with the highest being Denver, Colorado at $18.29. Even as the city with the highest salaries, Denver is not in first place. 9 on the list. Buffalo, New York, ranks first with a $15 minimum wage and lower average rent.
The study shows that statistics show that Buffalo residents still struggle to afford housing.
“Minimum wage employees in Buffalo can expect to pay 39% of their income for a typical one-bedroom apartment. This is the lowest rent-to-income ratio of any major city in the country, but still higher than the common affordability threshold of 30%.
The reality today is that the housing and rental market is volatile. Many individuals are like that struggling with the burden of low wages, rising rent, hidden fees and rising inflation. Moving to a city with a greater wage-to-rent ratio can ease financial stress for people and families. With the spirit of optimism in mind, BLACK ENTERPRISES intends to destroy a few of the cheapest places to live.
Buffalo, New York
Nestled in the northeast corner of the United States, Buffalo is a hop and a skip away from Canada. The $15 minimum wage is twice the federal wage. Residents can ensure that they may experience a fantastic winter. The city is just 6 hours away from New York.
St. Louis, Missouri
Gateway Arch headquarters, St. Louis, is a city of synthetic wonders. The city has a minimum wage of $12.30 and the average rent is $984 monthly. The city has its own distinct Midwestern culture and is entirely home to its skilled baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio is home to certainly one of the biggest living basketball players, LeBron James. Cincinnati cannot claim the honor of being the hometown of a legend. However, the city tied with Cleveland and Kansas City for sixth place on the list of affordable cities.
Denver, Colorado
Living near the mountains is just not for everybody. People who like extreme climates would do well in a city characterised by temperature fluctuations: from hot and dry summers to frosty and snowy winters. With a top minimum wage of $18.29, the mountains will be bearable.
Detroit, Michigan
Better often known as the Motor City and residential of Motown Records, Detroit is steeped in culture. The city is in 1st place in the rating. Number 10 on the list because 61% of the minimum resident income is required to cover the average rent of $1,060. However, if the cost of living in other areas is controlled, the remaining 39% can provide a good quality of life.
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