Coastal Heating and Repair is a start-up business owned by Jimmi and Starr Jensen that will provide the community of Yakutat with heating and plumbing services, giving residents the opportunity to have cleaner, safer and more energy efficient homes. Jimmi, who is Iñupiaq, has more than 10 years of experience as a heating technician and has provided this service to residents of Yakutat for several years as a side job. Starr, who is Tlingit and Koyukon Athabascan, will support the finance and scheduling side of the business. Jimmi and Starr are thrilled to be able to do this work full time as a means to support their family and hometown of Yakutat. 

The cycle for the 2021 Path to Prosperity competition begins soon. A new crop of applicants will be selected to participate and receive the business coaching and networking benefits of their involvement – not to mention a shot at the prize money. Applications will open April 1 and close on May 31. The Path to Prosperity Boot Camp will be held in September. Visit SpruceRoot.org to learn more. 

Sealaska invests in small business owners through a yearly financial commitment to Spruce Root, Inc., a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) founded in 2012 with $500,000 of seed money from Sealaska. Its mission is to assist Southeast Alaska people and businesses to reach their full potential through loan capital and support services to promote economic, social, cultural and environmental resiliency. Sealaska is proud to see the investment put to work during a year of uncertainty.