Nadia C.

Victorian Hands Foundation
Jewel in the Crown Spa
Brooklyn, New York

“I have persevered long enough to know that I have what it takes to succeed and that age is nothing but a number.”

Nadia was this year’s recipient of the Emerging Entrepreneur Award. Growing up in a family where everyone watched out for each other, Nadia was shocked when, as a child, she saw a television program about elder abuse. She was inspired to start The Victorian Hands Foundation, a non-profit that pairs young people with elderly nursing home residents to provide companionship. For her work with the foundation, Nadia has been honored with many awards, including the Fleet Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, the Shining Star Award, and the Bank of America Local Hero Award. Late last year, with the help of business skills she learned through NFTE, Nadia opened Jewel in the Crown Spa in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The young entrepreneur seems both her for-profit and non-profit companies providing essential services to help lift the human spirit.