The Zonta Club of Hilo Foundation presented $2,000 in microgrant awards through its Pay It Forward program during its monthly membership meeting earlier this month.
The Zonta Club of Hilo Foundation presented $2,000 in microgrant awards through its Pay It Forward program during its monthly membership meeting earlier this month.
The Pay It Forward program is one of the many programs the club offers to empower women and girls through service and advocacy.
“We are thrilled to provide financial support to women entrepreneurs who could use a little extra boost to achieve their goals for their business,” said Andrea Christensen, Zonta Club of Hilo Pay It Forward committee chairwoman.
The two awardees this year were Kristina Henricks and Springer Kaye.
Henricks is in the planning phase of launching her business, Good Karma Spay and Neuter Clinic, in Hilo. Her goal is to reduce pet overpopulation so fewer pets end up in animal shelters, facing the threat of euthanasia. Kaye owns Kaye Family Farms in Honomu and is in the expansion phase of lychee farming, selling and shipping fresh lychee online.
The Pay It Forward program had an open grant submission period this spring and received many well-crafted proposals for a wide variety of woman-owned businesses in the community.
Each microgrant is for $1,000 for one year, renewable for a second year upon a successful report about the first year’s use of the funds. Awardees are encouraged to “pay it forward” when they are able.
The Pay It Forward program was launched in 2014. The club intends to have its next Pay It Forward microgrant submission period in spring 2020.
For more information, visit www.zontahilo.org.
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