Vote! Red, White & Brew Coffeehouse, Champion of DD Community, in FedEx Contest

Champion of RI Developmental Disabilities Community Competing, Helping A Cause

North Smithfield, RI—Red White and Brew Coffeehouse, together with its complementary business, the Budding Violet is competing in this year’ FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Michael Coyne is the sole small business owner representing the Developmental Disabilities community of Rhode Island (RIDDC).  Michael, who has autism, is the purveyor of coffee and pastries on one side of the business location, and on the other side, serves as a retail shop owner providing space for local people with disabilities to sell their home-made products to the coffee shop visitors.   

Currently, the contest is in the voting period, which ends March 24. Votes help entrants get noticed and are one of the many factors used in choosing finalists and winners. Each voter is allowed to cast one vote per day.

A long time proponent of inclusion, having been repeatedly denied traditional employment in the food service industry, Michael is proud to offer this opportunity to people he has met during  RIDDC’s business classes and beyond. Not surprisingly, Michael emphasizes on his application that at Red White & Brew Coffeehouse, he’s “serving inclusion in every cup.”

He is competing with approximately twenty-seven businesses just in RI, ranging from art centers to pet grooming as well as businesses providing a wide variety of services. His application, or entry form, includes a video, and addresses the reason he applied for the grant. Consistent with his personal philosophy and then, his business mission to help visitors as well as vendors within the disability community, he wants to “ make some modifications to the physical layout of the store to allow better accessibility for people with disabilities.”

Aware of the importance of e-commerce, especially since the Covid pandemic, Michael also plans to develop an app, enabling phone orders and curbside pick-up. Additional improvements to help the company adjust to post-covid realities as well as seasonal fun, he aspires to build an outdoor dining area. Circling back to his central mission, he completes his comments with hopes “to hire and train more staff, and work with other community organizations to spread the word about inclusion.”

The FedEx grant program will award twelve (12) U.S.-based small businesses with grants up to $50,000 and up to $7,500 in FedEx Office® print and business services. There are additional prize packages awarded to the winners, such as Website Optimization or Website Audit Prize Package. Further, the top 100 winners will benefit from professional resources, including financial consultation, attendance at a Small Business National Conference and access to up to 3 related webinars, as well as mentor matching.

To vote once, or daily through March 24th, and to review Red White & Brew Coffeehouse’s entry and video: click on http://bit.ly/38Gm7G4. To learn more about the FedEx contest, eligibility and its rules, visit: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/small-business/grant-contest.html