Invested Faith Welcomes 18th Class of Fellows
For immediate release: 2-24-2026
Invested Faith Announces 18th Class of Fellows Advancing Faith-Rooted Social Innovation
Washington, DC — Invested Faith, a national nonprofit that identifies and supports faith-rooted social entrepreneurs, has now awarded more than 85 Fellowships to visionary leaders across the United States. With the announcement of its 18th class of Invested Faith Fellows, the organization continues to expand a growing national network committed to addressing systemic injustice through sustainable, community-based solutions.
Invested Faith Fellows are tackling some of the most pressing challenges of our time—including economic inequality, racial injustice, environmental disparities, and barriers to opportunity—by building innovative ventures rooted in faith and community leadership.
Each Fellowship includes an unrestricted grant, national storytelling support through the Invested Faith network, and participation in RESOURCED, a peer-learning community that connects Fellows across the country for ongoing collaboration, mentorship, and strategic growth.
The 18th class of Fellows brings hope to Invested Faith Founder Rev. Dr. Amy Butler. “Now is the moment to dig deeper, love harder, work braver. Fear cannot win when we come alongside each other and work together. Join me in celebrating and supporting the work of yet another incredible class of Invested Faith Fellows.”
Invested Faith Fellows are now working in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The first class of Fellows was awarded in July 2021.
The following individuals were selected as Invested Faith Fellows in January of 2026:
Debbie Almontaser
Bridging Cultures Group
Brooklyn, New York
Through Bridging Cultures Group (BCG), Dr. Almontaser advances equity and inclusion by designing training programs and initiatives that build understanding across communities and workplaces. BCG’s offerings include customized Train-the-Trainer programs, the Courageous Conversations series for educators, and culturally responsive food access programs. Her approach blends restorative practices, cultural competency, and hands-on learning to help people and communities see themselves a part of a diverse interdependent world across racial, ethnic, and religious lines.
Cristin Cooper
Coop’s Soups
Oliney, Maryland
Coop’s Soups, founded by Cristin Cooper, is a community-centered social enterprise that addresses loneliness and food insecurity through shared food and relationship building. What began in 2018 as a dinner church in Cristin’s Maryland apartment has grown into a farmer’s-market–based soup business rooted in ministry, hospitality, and mutual care. Coop’s Soups offers vegan, gluten-free soups made with locally sourced vegetables, using a “soup to share” model in which every batch is intentionally prepared with donation in mind—so that sales sustain the enterprise and soup is specifically made to be donated. Through intentional labeling, monthly communal cooking gatherings, and the revival of a neighborhood garden, the project uses food as a catalyst for connection, dignity, and community resilience.
Kaitlin D’Antignac
Life of Abundance
Augusta, GA
LIfe of Abundance (SWP—Success, Wealth, Prosperity) is a faith-rooted financial empowerment business led by credit specialist Kaitlin D’Antignac. The project supports individuals and families who have been excluded from or harmed by the financial system by combining practical credit-building support with financial literacy education and mindset coaching. Kaitlin’s work centers on helping people understand how credit functions (including consumer laws and credit profiles—not just scores), reduce harmful debt patterns, and use credit strategically to access opportunities like housing, transportation, and business growth.
DeJuana Golden
The Healing Garden Project
Lakewood, California
The Healing Garden Project is a faith-rooted nonprofit dedicated to creating therapeutic garden spaces in under-resourced communities. Partnering with churches, schools, and community centers, the project transforms underutilized land into places of respite, nourishment, and healing. Through its Plant to Heal initiative, gardens become bridges between church and community— offering fresh food, wellness-centered green space, and opportunities for connection that support physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Founder DeJuana Golden and her team of gardeners design and install gardens which are then hosted and maintained by the church and community.
Ebonie Farlow-Edwards
Compassion Design
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Compassion Design is a faith-centered digital infrastructure and creative strategy firm that helps purpose-driven organizations and entrepreneurs clarify their message and build sustainable digital infrastructure. Grounded in the belief that creativity is stewardship, the company integrates branding, digital strategy, and systems thinking to help underestimated leaders communicate with clarity and confidence. Founder Ebonie Farlow-Edwards developed the Ebb Effect Methodology to bridge vision and execution—turning purpose into practical, repeatable strategy and strengthening brand positioning for greater impact. She is developing an eight-week program to introduce Black and Brown teens to social entrepreneurship.
About Invested Faith: Invested Faith is a fund for faith-rooted social innovators founded by Rev. Dr. Amy Butler in 2019 in response to declining church attendance and the need for a new model of philanthropy. Invested Faith bridges the resources of the religious economy with the ingenuity of social enterprise, sustaining hope and justice in communities where traditional structures are faltering.
For additional information and photos, visit the Press Center at Invested Faith.
Media Contact:
Anita Flowers, Coordinator
investedfaith.org/press-center
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