Celebrating Entrepreneurship in Action!  Candice Dormon, CEO of Ekow Body and graduate of ConnCORP’s Entrepreneurship Academy, has expanded her business with the opening of the Ekow Body Skincare and Wellness Studio, a 1,000-square-foot space at 315 Peck St. in Erector Square.

What began as a line of natural shea-butter-based body care products has expanded into a community space offering soul line-dancing classes, strength training, and wellness events. Built around the principle that self-care is a necessity rather than a luxury, Ekow Body reflects Candice’s vision of combining health, movement, and community.

At Monday’s ribbon-cutting, Mayor Justin Elicker highlighted Ekow’s opening as part of the broader rise of Black women-owned businesses in New Haven. Kulturally Lit founder IfeMichelle Gardin also emphasized the community impact, noting that “dreams and opportunity are alive and well in New Haven.”

Read more in the New Haven Independent

Community in action!  Our annual back-to-school giveaway was incredible - hundreds of children received free backpacks filled with supplies, plus food and haircuts to help them start the school year strong.

Seeing families come together and children like Raheem light up with excitement over their new supplies reminds us why we do this work. When our community shows up for each other, beautiful things happen.

Thank you to every volunteer, donor, and local business partner who made this possible. Planning starts in March because we believe every child deserves to walk into their classroom ready to learn and succeed.

Still want to help? We're always looking for supporters to join our mission of uplifting local families. Reach out to [email protected]