Pandemic Perseverance - Coach Iya
Updated: Sep 15, 2021
Meet one of our entrepreneurs who is persevering despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
IyaSokoya Karade
Athletic Arts Academy
The world that IyaSokoya Karade knew was completely devastated when COVID-19 hit. An executive order from the government deemed her business, Athletic Arts Academy, Orange, NJ, as a non-essential business. While her existing licensed summer camp expedited the re-opening process, concerns about future shutdowns forced Karade to find additional ways to protect the academy while also helping families in her community. “Even though building this business from the ground up has taken a toll on me, fighting my way back from COVID-19 has made me focus and become more determined,” she stated.
Karade applied for and won a grant from the State of New Jersey, allowing her to procure an official childcare license and to upgrade her facility and programs to encourage more families with children to enroll. Programs at the academy also nurture children’s emotional and spiritual development and provide safe, affordable and dependable childcare for low-income working families in the community. “The past year has put a terrible strain on working families in surrounding, predominantly African-American, Latin, and immigrant communities, where family members often work multiple jobs. Receiving this grant has enabled the academy to offer parents much-needed financial relief,” Karade stated. Child care enrollment is open for families by visiting, https://bit.ly/3BmKFQj.