3 Atlanta Small Business Owners Receive Grants in Recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month

Fiserv Inc. has awarded three small businesses in the Atlanta area with grants of $10,000 each in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The grants were presented at an event in partnership with community leaders and organizations like the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by supporting these inspiring businesses and all the small businesses that play a crucial role in Atlanta’s economy,” said Vivian Greentree, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Corporate Citizenship at Fiserv.

Back2Business – Supporting Small Business in Atlanta and the US

Fiserv is a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology that has a longstanding presence in the Atlanta area. The company has sponsored the Back2Business program in numerous cities, including New York, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Tulsa, Oakland, Washington, D.C., Omaha, and Milwaukee. Nearly 1,500 grants have been awarded to small businesses through the program.

The presentation event highlighted an ongoing commitment to Atlanta’s diverse small business community as part of Fiserv’s Back2Business program, which includes a $50 million investment designed to support minority-owned small businesses. The program offers grants alongside other resources like complimentary coaching, technology solutions, and access to community partners.

“Providing funding and resources to help small, diverse businesses thrive is a key tenet of the Back2Business program and it’s wonderful to see the impact this program has made in cities all over the country, and especially here in our own backyard in Atlanta,” Greentree said.

About the Winners

Joel Ferrer of Chef Joel Coco Cabana, LLC

Chef Joel Coco Cabana is a Cuban-owned café and catering company serving Cuban cuisine to the Atlanta area. Ferrer has 20 years of experience creating executive meals at the finest restaurants and hotels in Cuba and is a classically trained chef with 30 years of experience.

Chef Joel uses his knowledge to create delicious Cuban food and unique guest experiences. Coco Cabana offers full-service catering for events of all sizes, from intimate in-home dinner parties to full-spread wedding events, corporate breakfasts and lunches, and beyond.

Ferrer recently celebrated opening the company’s first café and is ready to serve authentic Cuban cuisine to the Atlanta area.

Address: 3640 Wallis Road, Flowery Branch, GA 30523
www.chefjoelcococabana.com

Vanessa Higgins of Clean Tu Casa

Clean Tu Casa is a Hispanic-owned cleaning, organizing, and personal errand service company in Metro Atlanta. Established in 2017, the company brings together a group of professionals with 12 years of combined experience in cleaning, business, and marketing.

Clean Tu Casa offers cleaning services for residential, business, rental housing, and more. They are dedicated to helping local community members find a clean, organized space without the added stress of doing it themselves.

Higgins was born and raised in Atlanta and has 20 years of corporate experience as a project manager and expert in multilingual business opportunities for companies like Delta Air Lines, EY, and Home Depot. Clean Tu Casa’s website highlights the rewarding experience employees and Higgins get from becoming a solution to creating a less stressful life for others.

Address: 2146 Roswell Rd. Suite 108-728, Marietta, GA 30062
https://cleantucasa.com

Alejandra “Luz” Pelaez of UP Advertising

Up Advertising is a Hispanic-owned full-service multicultural advertising and digital marketing agency focusing on reaching and harnessing Hispanic markets nationwide.

Founded in 2013 by Pelaez, a marketing expert with over 21 years of experience in Georgia, UP offers a menu of advertising and marketing services for businesses, including branding, graphic design, digital and social media marketing, web design, and even commercial and video production.

Pelaez managed to double the company’s growth during the pandemic. UP Advertising is certified by the National Minority Business Enterprise (NMBE), was recognized as an outstanding business by the state of Georgia, received “agency of the year” from GHCC in 2020, and was a member of the SBA’s Emerging Leaders Class of 2021.

Address: 247 Sumac Trail, Woodstock, GA 30188
www.upatlanta.com

Supporting Hispanic Entrepreneurs Benefits Everyone  

The pandemic has been tough on entrepreneurs and business owners across the country. However, minority-owned businesses already face disproportionate difficulties. That’s why initiatives such as the Back2Business program are so important.

“It is an honor to partner with Fiserv and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to celebrate and support entrepreneurs in the Hispanic community during Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Alex Gonzalez, Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Through the Back2Business grants, Fiserv is providing access to capital and resources to help these three Hispanic-owned businesses grow and thrive.”

“Fiserv recognition and support of the Hispanic community, providing valuable grants and services at a critical time for small businesses through Back2Business, is key to ensuring equitable opportunities for our community and to being seen as the vital force that we are for the economy and the great state of Georgia,” said Verónica Maldonado-Torres, President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“When our group thrives, we all thrive as a society, and that is our goal at the GHCC – to match businesses with the resources, tools, and opportunities to inspire them and help them reimagine the next for their company.

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