FedEx Awards More Than $250,000 to Winners Of the Eighth Annual FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
May 04 2020 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Pledges Additional $1 Million in New Initiative
to Support Small Business Amid COVID-19
FedEx announced today that Access Trax– a California based
company that manufactures a foldable pathway that allows people
with physical disabilities to access outdoor terrain– is the grand
prize winner of its eighth annual FedEx Small Business Grant
Contest. Access Trax will receive a $50,000 grant, plus $7,500 in
FedEx Office® print and business services to help with its mission
to empower people of all abilities to access the outdoors.
To further support small businesses at this time, FedEx is
committing $1 million to help small businesses that are struggling
to stay in business during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The
#SupportSmall grant will offer relief to entrepreneurs working to
keep their businesses afloat. Whether that is paying staff,
business rent, starting their online store or enhancing their
online presence, we want to help keep their business thriving and
surviving.
“Nearly 50% of Americans are employed by small businesses, which
is why it’s critical we provide a lifeline,” said Brie Carere,
executive vice president, chief marketing & communications
officer, FedEx. “From the Small Business Grant Contest, to our
shipping services, to the #SupportSmall grant, FedEx understands
when small businesses succeed, we all succeed, and we are committed
to providing resources to help.”
The Access Trax story began when co-founders Kelly Twichel &
Eric Packard were studying to become Occupational Therapists. As
part of their curriculum, they were challenged to create a device
that would help persons with disabilities in their daily lives. The
duo was inspired to help local adaptive surfers cross the sand to
the water’s edge in their wheelchairs with dignity and
independence. Kelly & Eric came up with their foldable pathway
and have since worked to improve upon the design with the input of
adaptive surfers and other wheelchair users.
“We are honored to be named the 2020 FedEx Small Business Grant
Contest Grand Prize Winner,” said Kelly Twichel & Eric Packard,
Access Trax owners. “We set out to empower people with
disabilities, by allowing them to experience the joy of the
outdoors. We are thrilled the funds will help Access Trax grow
during this uncertain economic time.”
FedEx also awarded a silver prize of $30,000, plus a $5,000
credit in FedEx Office Services, to MANCAN Wine of Cleveland, Ohio.
Childhood pals Graham Veysey & Fisk Biggar founded MANCAN in
2015 as one of the first exclusively canned wine companies in the
United States. The business concept was formed a year prior when
Graham was sitting in a bar in Cleveland and wanted wine, but not
from any of the half-open bottles that had been sitting behind the
bar for weeks. He purchased the domain mancanwine.com that night.
Five years later that barstool idea has grown into a national brand
with distribution partners in 35+ states.
Additionally, FedEx awarded each of the following 10 businesses
a bronze prize of a $15,000 grant and $1,000 in FedEx Office
services: (listed in alphabetical order)
- BroglieBox LLC (Valley Village, CA)
- Eat2Explore (New York, NY – Entrepreneur Choice Award)
- Jessie’s Nutty Cups(Brooklyn NY)
- Kanga (Greenville, SC)
- lumenomics (Seattle, WA)
- Modern Christmas Trees(Denver, CO)
- Olori (San Francisco, CA)
- Pit Barrel Cooker Co. (Louisville, KY – Veteran Owned Business
Honor)
- VOXAPOD (Portland, OR)
- Waterlust (Miami, FL)
“We are honored to award our print and business services to this
year’s winners,” said Kim Dixon, executive vice president and chief
operating officer, FedEx Office. “During these unprecedented times,
small businesses have faced unexpected challenges and still
continue to serve their communities and beyond. We are proud to
support these resilient businesses.”
The 2020 contest garnered more than 4,100 entries from
candidates across the United States and more than 720,000 votes.
Over the past eight years, 38,000 businesses have entered the
contest in the United States alone.
Details about the FedEx #SupportSmall grant will be announced in
the coming days. Small-business owners can always access the FedEx
Small Business Center for help adapting to COVID-19 impacts.
Entrepreneurs can find ideas and insights on services and tools
that can help them tackle challenges head on as well as information
and resources that cover everything from financial relief to
operational assistance.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses
worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and
business services. With annual revenue of $70 billion, the company
offers integrated business solutions through operating companies
competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the
respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most
admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 475,000
team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and
professional standards and the needs of their customers and
communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and
possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200504005362/en/
Rae Lyn Rushing FedEx Media Relations (901) 495-5311
rae.rushing@fedex.com
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