Gigi’s Cupcakes wins support of Comcast through RISE program

Mana Sweets LLC, a cupcake bakery founded by former NFL football player Jamar Israel Fletcher and Apison entrepreneur Doney Swafford, has been selected by Comcast as one of 700 small and minority-owned businesses to receive consulting, media and creative production services from Comast’s ad sales division known as Effectv.

The business, which operates as Gigi’s Cupcakes on Gunbarrel Road in East Brainerd, took over the local franchise in East Brainerd in February and offers cupcakes, cheesecake, brownies and cookies. Mana Sweets was among 17 Tennessee companies selected for the first round of the Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment) competition launched by the cable TV giant in October.

“We are thrilled to support Black-owned small businesses here in Tennessee through the Comcast RISE program,” said Jason Gumbs, regional senior vice president at Comcast. “This program was created with the intention of helping small businesses impacted by the pandemic navigate this very challenging time.”

Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate

$75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability.

In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three to five years.