Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Moore, the founder and CEO of A Touch of Grace Hospice, Inc., on her company’s success in winning CNN’s Small Business Turnaround Contest..

Her company’s mission is to provide culturally sensitive hospice care throughout the Chicagoland community. Dr. Moore is dedicated to community education, quality end of life care, and sensitive community outreach to bridge the gap in the use of hospice services in our communities. Her continuous research on healthcare disparities in the African American Community and how to bridge that gap in these disparities is what led her to open A Touch of Grace Hospice, Inc. She has a Masters in Social Work and a PhD in Psychiatric Sociology and has worked in the hospice field for over five years.

Dr. Moore’s agency has continually sought to improve the care provided to the many wonderful families that are in need of such care. When one of her loved ones mentioned the CNN Small Business Turnaround Contest, she applied. The contest, which was held in March 2005, appealed to small businesses with the offer of $22,500 in prizes from Staples, Verizon Wireless, and CDW, with the intent of aiding a small business in reaching the next level. This contest attracted hundreds of small businesses, and five ultimately became semifinalists. Individuals were required to go onto the CNN website and vote for the organization they believed should win. A Touch of Grace Hospice won the grand prize, which spearheaded her business and took it to another level!

When re-reading her submission to the contest, Dr. Moore quickly realized that the assistance she had previously received with her business plan from Lois Eichacker at the WBDC, helped immensely to answer the questions required to enter the contest. The guidance and advice received from WBDC staff taught her that a good business plan is a must and takes time and dedication. In fact, the persistence and initiative she learned while working with the WBDC on her plan prepared her for when it came time to research and apply for the contest.

Dr. Moore states, “I would not have won without the help from WBDC. Now, I am able to provide the compassionate and culturally sensitive hospice care I have so desired to do.”