The first Central Ohio Social Entrepreneur of the Year Awards were held May 23, 2013 at the Gateway Film Center. Nearly 100 Rotarians voted on the winners from this year’s six finalists: Billy Two Shoes; CivitasNow; Freedom a la Cart; Freshbox Catering; Fulcrum Creatives; and The Greener Grocer.
Billy Two Shoes and Freedom a la Cart were each voted as Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
An award born out of a partnership between the Rotary of Central and Southeast Ohio and The Metropreneur, the Social Entrepreneur of the Year looks to award those whose businesses serve the community in a greater way.
Billy Two Shoes is a band that sends all dollars generated from sales of their records, or from donations to food pantries in need. Since their inception in 2008, Billy Two Shoes has sent over $20,000 to food pantries. The band is currently working on their fourth record.
Doma International Founder Julie Clark started Freedom a la Cart as a way to provide survivors of human trafficking a way to earn a paycheck while earning the skills they need for every day life. Freedom a la Cart moved from sharing a kitchen at Double Happiness in 2011, to the commercial kitchen of the downtown YMCA in July of 2012. The move allows them to offer more opportunities for catering clients and provide an online ordering service for lunch.
District Governor Michael Brown and C. Lee Smith, Public Image Chair for Rotary District 6690 also awarded Walker Evans and myself with a special award for our work as “long-time champions of small business and social entrepreneurship in the Columbus community.”
The Social Entrepreneur of the Year trophies were donated by Ad-ology Research.
For more about Billy Two Shoes, visit Billytwoshoes.com.
For more about Freedom a la Cart, visit FreedomalaCart.org.
For more about the Rotary Clubs of Central and Southeast Ohio, visit District6690.org.
