A North Texas competition unlike any other: The Pitch
IRVING — There's a competition Thursday night unlike almost any other.
Five North Texas nonprofits are competing for more than $200,000 in funding from the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
From a hip-hop classroom to help teach disengaged students to more resources for expectant mothers and innovative ways to house the homeless.
Five nonprofits offering new ideas to solve old problems took the stage Thursday night in Irving trying to convince a panel of celebrity judges that their start up is worthy of $275,000 in prize money.
"We like to call it The Pitch," said Jennifer Sampson, the president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. "It's like Shark Tank with a heart. And each of these innovators are driving measurable impact in the areas of education, income and health."
Among those making their pitch, Entryway DFW, which offers discounted apartments to those who agree to take jobs inside the complex where they live.
"So it really ticks off more than one box for individuals who have been facing situational homelessness," said Robin Head, with Entryway DFW. "So individuals that have faced, you know, the pandemic and a job loss or a health scare and or domestic violence and veterans and just needing a fresh start."
Healthy Hip Hop takes the most popular music among young people and turns it into a teaching curriculum.
"So we take the hip hop beat, put a positive message over for children that focuses around education, health, wellness, and we use that to improve focus, engagement and behavior at home and at school," said Roy Scott of Healthy Hip Hop.
After a 5-minute live pitch in front of a cheering audience, the judges, which included local sports icons, chose a winner.
The winner was Abide, a health service that offers prenatal and postnatal care to women of color.
It received $135,000 in seed money to help improve the lives of new mothers across North Texas.