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October 18, 2022

IKEA writes checks to local Black businesses

PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN Kourtney Meredith of Secured Welding speaks at IKEA after winning a $5,000 grand to help his business.
By Liese Klein

The IKEA U.S. Community Foundation presented $5,000 checks to five Black-owned businesses on Tuesday as part of a grant program that drew 70 applications for funds.

The grant winners were first announced last week at the annual meeting of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. 

The 2022 winners are Renurse Academy, BMP Custom Prints, Oh-Shito Sauce, Gem Capital Logistics and Secured Welding LLC.

IKEA’s grant program was announced in July in partnership with the chamber to help support the business needs of Black-owned enterprises that work to support social justice, economic empowerment and education initiatives in Black communities.

PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN
IKEA New Haven Loyalty Manager Jeff Zeitlin, center, hands replica checks to winners of the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation grant contest.

Chamber President and CEO Garrett Sheehan said of the grant applicants, “They were all great stories, businesses that were growing, but what really set these five businesses apart… is that they've had a lot of success already, but they also have a lot of potential for growth. The grants that we're able to give them while they're still small, are really going to be beneficial with the things they're looking to do to advance their businesses.” 

Kourtney Meredith, owner of Secured Welding in East Haven, said the grant money would go toward a forklift and other equipment to help his company meet demand. 

“It's going to be invested into the business,” Meredith said. “So we're very appreciative for everybody here to help us get some of that heavy steel off the floor.”

IKEA’s New Haven store at 450 Sargent Drive marked its 18th year in operation this summer and is one of 51 retail locations of the Swedish housewares company in the U.S.

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

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