OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McBride
Sisters Collection, Inc., the largest Black-owned wine company in
the U.S., today announces that it has received a $2 million donation from Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ:
FB) for its 501 (c)(3), McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund. Facebook
has made a commitment to leverage its resources to provide 100 SHE
CAN Fund grantees and Black women entrepreneurs with $20,000 in
Facebook advertising credits, as well as strategic guidance via
Facebook Elevate, a community and learning program created to
support and accelerate the growth of Black and Latinx &
Hispanic-owned businesses.
"We understand firsthand the impact that Facebook Elevate can
have on a small, Black-women-owned business, and the challenges
that these businesses face in opening the doors that we ourselves
found closed when we launched our own company," states Andréa
McBride John, Co-Founder and CEO of
McBride Sisters Collection, Inc. "Moving the dial on race and
gender inequality takes a village, a long-term commitment, and it
requires the leaders in major industries to step up and address the
inequities that Black business owners have faced, and continue to
face, daily," adds Robin McBride,
Co-Founder and President of McBride Sisters Collection, Inc. "We
are grateful to have Facebook as a partner in this fight, and in
supporting the next class of Black women entrepreneurs, alongside
Morgan Stanley, Silicon Valley Bank, and Brand Now."
The McBride Sisters Collection Founders Andréa McBride John & Robin
McBride originally established the McBride Sisters SHE CAN
Fund in 2019 to promote the professional development of women
in the wine industry in a concerted effort to help close the gender
and race gap. In the wake of COVID-19, the Sisters pivoted the
Fund's 2020 efforts to support Black-and-women-owned small
businesses across a number of industries. This year, scholarships
will support Black women entrepreneurs in the traditionally
male-dominated fields of wine & spirits, hospitality and
finance, and in the areas of career growth and professional
advancement through continued education and professional
certifications. The decision to focus on these industries is based
on recent unsettling statistics regarding women in the workforce,
which have only been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Facebook recently released its latest Global State of Small
Business Report, which shows how women-owned small and midsized
businesses have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic.
Globally, 20% of women-led small and midsized businesses
reported being closed, versus 16% of those led by men.
Facebook's contributions will support 2020 and 2021 grantees of
the SHE CAN Fund. Through Facebook Elevate, participating
businesses will receive access to their own Facebook marketing
expert through Elevate Circles, Facebook's 6-week mentorship
program, as well as business coaching from one of Facebook's
Elevate partners. Grantees will also be encouraged to visit
the Elevate Hub and join the Facebook Elevate
Group to gain access to free digital advertising resources and
build community with other business owners, creators, community
leaders, non-profits and jobseekers.
"With Black-owned businesses shuttering at two times the rate of
non-diverse businesses post-COVID, we at Facebook recognize the
heightened importance of leveraging our resources to provide
ongoing support for these businesses," said Irene Walker, Program Director of Facebook
Elevate. "The McBride Sisters are a shining example of the success
story that we aim to foster through our Elevate program and we hope
to duplicate that level of success for more Black-and-women owned
businesses through this partnership."
"We believe that the McBride Sisters SHE CAN Fund can start a
wave of change, and we're proud to be teaming up with partners such
as Facebook who want to join our fight to help close the race and
gender gap in the Wine & Spirits industry and beyond," said
Agnes Uboma, Chief Impact Officer of the McBride Sisters SHE CAN
Fund. "Our commitment to women-owned and Black-owned businesses is
unwavering, and we encourage companies of all sizes to help these
businesses and entrepreneurs thrive."
In addition to donations made by Facebook and the McBride
Sisters SHE CAN Fund's corporate sponsors Morgan Stanley, Silicon
Valley bank, and Brand Now, a portion of the proceeds from
2021 sales of the McBride Sisters Collection SHE CAN wines (up
to $100,000) will go towards the SHE
CAN Fund's 2021 initiative.
Applications for the SHE CAN Fund 2021 initiative are now
closed, and grantees will be announced and awarded in Fall 2021.
For more information, please
visit https://www.mcbridesisters.com/Our-Story/SHE-CAN.
About McBride Sisters Collection, Inc.:
Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John have been entrepreneurs in the wine
industry since 2005. In 2017, they established McBride Sisters
Collection, Inc., the largest Black-owned wine company in the U.S.
The company's mission is to transform the wine industry, to lead by
example and to cultivate community, one delicious glass of wine at
a time. These values show up not only in the wines, but in all
facets of the company. The signature McBride Sisters Collection
wines are direct reflections of the terroirs of Robin and Andréa's
youth, with flavors designed for all palates. The fun, fab and
eco-friendly SHE CAN collection is inspired by the endless pursuit
of all women who are making their dreams a reality and are breaking
barriers daily. The Black Girl Magic collection, a personal ode to
Robin and Andréa's culture and story, is inspired by the magic and
resilience of Black women, to be enjoyed by all.
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SOURCE McBride Sisters Collection