Slutty Vegan’s Pinky Cole and Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks’ D. Hayes have began an incredibly charitable venture.
The brilliant minds behind Slutty Vegan (Pinky Cole) and Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks (David Hayes) are merging their philanthropic endeavors yet again. The CEO duo recently teamed up for Pinky’s new Ponce City Market venture Bar Vegan, providing plant based cheesesteaks at the awesome addition to the Atlantan icon.
Their newest venture however is a true act of kindness. The Pinky Cole Foundation and The David & Derrick Hayes Foundation are spearheading Square 1: The Liife Experience, a program with an initiative to provide life insurance policies by December 2023 to 25,000 Black men. Eligible participants must be individuals who are between the ages 15-45, earn $30,000 or less annually, and do not use tobacco
Cole and Hayes first joined forces in June 2020 in response to the fatal shooting in Atlanta of Rayshard Brooks. The two entrepreneurs surprised Brooks’ widow, Tomika Miller, with life insurance policies for her family, a new car, and scholarships to Clark Atlanta University for Brooks’ four children through a partnership with the university.
In the United States, Black men disproportionately suffer from poor health and high crime more than other racial groups. As a group, Black men have the lowest life expectancy and highest death rate from specific causes compared to both men and women of other racial and ethnic groups. Now, Cole and Hayes are growing their mission in order to provide life insurance policies supporting more families. There will be two sign-up events for anyone eligible, one at Pinky’s restaurant, and the other at D. Haye’s. For more information, check below click here.
“We established this campaign to create better lives for Black men and their families by providing life insurance and mental health treatment in underserved communities,” said Pinky Cole in an official statement. “It is another way we are collectively using our platforms to pour into the communities in which we serve.”
D. Hayes added, “While growing up in West Philly, I witnessed people put together fish frys and create GoFundMe pages to pay for their loved one’s funerals. I vowed to change that narrative with this program. Now I’m able to provide resources and benefits such as life insurance policies and mental health programs. I am sure we will bridge the wealth gap and strengthen the Black community with this campaign.”
Anyone who is eligible to apply for the insurance can visit sign-up events in Atlanta at the following dates and locations:
Saturday, June 12, 1-4pm
Slutty Vegan Edgewood, 476 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
Thursday, June 17, 1-4pm
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, 57 Forsyth St NW Suite 63, Atlanta, GA 30303