Atlanta Restaurant Owners Provide Thousands of Black Men in Atlanta with Life Insurance

Atlanta restaurant owners Pinky Cole, founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan, and Derrick Haynes, CEO of Big Dave Cheesesteaks, decided to combine resources to give over thousands of Black men with life insurance.

The two decided that with all of the GoFundMe campaigns, and other methods, used to pay for funerals these days, they realized that life insurance was a much-needed commodity for people in underserved communities.

“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,” Hayes said.

“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.”

With the murders of Black people due to police brutality and racial discrimination being more publicized, the world is seeing more examples of Black men, and others, losing their lives having to use extraordinary methods to make funeral arrangements.

“As a Black woman and entrepreneur, it is my duty to build up and equip the Black man,” Cole said. “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. It is another way we are collectively using our platforms to pour into the communities in which we serve.”

Cole and Hayes developed a program called, Square 1: The Liife Experience, which is aimed at insuring 25,000 Black men between the ages 15-45, earning $30,000 or less annually, by December 2023, said Keeyah Johnson, executive assistant to Cole.

They have partnered with New York Life as the insurance carrier.

The Liife Experience Campaign also endeavors to teach the importance of having life insurance and life longevity through routine mental health and wellness screenings.

Recently, the Cole and Hayes hosted an event at Slutty Vegan’s Edgewood location in Atlanta, where they were able to sign up over 250 Black men.

For anyone who would like to apply for the program, applications are available online via this page.