Probably someone who doesn’t call him or herself a “social entrepreneur”!

Social entrepreneurs create systemic change for the better. They devise and build sustainable enterprises that provide jobs or revenues for a good cause. They have innovative, visionary minds and nose-to-the-grindstone determination. Whether they're building for-profit or non-profit enterprises, meeting human needs or growing a “green” business, social entrepreneurs are celebrated here.

Read some stories of the social entrepreneurs we're celebrating today.

An excerpt from Kelly Ramirez’ story on Eileen Hayes, Social Entrepreneur and Executive Director of Providence’s Amos House

“Eileen Hayes, Executive Director of Amos House, has accomplished a lot in her 8 years wearing both her business and social work hats. And she needs to wear both on a daily basis. Although, she admits that she is a social worker first, she has been the backbone of Amos House’s business success. Under her leadership, they have launched three businesses. Businesses that aim not only to provide training and employment opportunities for members of their community, but also to bring revenue streams back to the organization to subsidize other programming. Their More than a Meal Catering business is profitable, and their home renovation business, Amos House Works, is also well on its way.

Like many social entrepreneurs, Eileen thinks big. She has grand aspirations for Amos House, envisioning it as the next Delancy Street www.delanceystreetfoundation.org. She wants to multiply the number of job, and training opportunities while at the same time increasing the revenue streams flowing back to the organization to enable the development of even more opportunities. She is confident this level of growth is possible.

Amos House

Amos House is a nonprofit social services agency that provides hospitality and direct services to the homeless and poor of Rhode Island. It works in collaboration with other agencies and groups to address issues of hunger, homelessness and poverty. It has also successfully developed several social enterprises or nonprofit owned mission related business which generate revenue and/or train for and create jobs.

More than Just a Meal

The first and most well established of Amos House Social Enterprises is its catering business, More than a Meal. To date, this social enterprise has created 10 full time jobs, plus numerous part time positions. It has also trained Amos House clients in the food service industry. Further, the business currently generates a small amount of revenue for the organization. More than a Meal has both institutional (schools and camps) and private (private residences, parties) lines of business.

Amos House Builds

Amos House Builds, a home improvement business, launched only a year and a half ago, has already created ten jobs. It is a carpentry training program in which participants learn both the soft skills necessary to be a responsible employee and the hard skills needed to be a skilled carpenter. After completing the apprentice program there are opportunities to advance within and outside the program.

Friendship Cafe

The Friendship Café will offer a much needed healthy breakfast/lunch menu within the Amos House neighborhood and will provide on the job training for students in the culinary training program, ACE as well as paid internships for graduates.”