Comcast RISE Profile: Services of Hope
#SmallBusinessMonth
How Comcast RISE empowers small businesses
The Comcast RISE program helps support small businesses nationwide. Announced on April 10, 2025, Grand Rapids and Muskegon were recently selected as one of five total Comcast RISE regions. Starting now through May 31, 2025, local entrepreneurs are invited to apply at www.comcastrise.com. A total of 100 Greater Grand Rapids and Muskegon grants will be awarded and announced in August 2025.
What is Comcast RISE?
Comcast RISE is supporting the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs committed to uplifting their local communities. Eligible small businesses receive comprehensive packages that include a technology makeover, creative production, a media schedule, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant, and business consultation services.
Meet Angelita Valdez at Services of Hope
A 2021 Comcast RISE recipient, Services of Hope, or Servicios de Esperanza, is a mental health and substance abuse outpatient clinic located in Muskegon that works with patients ages 3 and up. Founded in 2013 by therapist Angelita Valdez, the clinic’s services range from play therapy for children, to traditional outpatient counseling, to court mandated substance abuse and anger management programs. All services are offered in both English and Spanish.
Angelita shared with us her experiences as a former Comcast RISE recipient.
What About the Grant Interested You?
Angelita: I saw an email about the opportunity and saw former recipients share about the services they received. Services of Hope went completely virtual in 2020, but we couldn’t afford the technology needed to help our business run efficiently. I knew this grant would be a tremendous help in getting us to our goals.
How Did Comcast RISE Positively Impact Your Business?
Angelita: Comcast RISE gave us much-needed tech that we still use today. We received a desktop computer for keeping records, tablets for the patients to fill out paperwork in the waiting room, and a laptop for each employee. This technology allowed us to be more streamlined, giving us more time to serve our patients.
Thanks to the reliable internet service provided, we were also able to expand our telehealth services to patients all over Michigan. Many areas in Michigan don’t have a Spanish-speaking mental health provider nearby, so we step in to serve those outside of Muskegon. Providing Spanish-language mental health services is the heart of my business, and I am so glad that I can do more thanks to the technology offered through the RISE grant.
What Drives Your Passion for Your Business?
Angelita: Before I founded Services of Hope, I was working as a community therapist. I was hired specifically because I can provide Spanish-language services, but I often had to turn patients away because they didn’t meet specific criteria. Unfortunately, the next Spanish-language mental health provider was an hour away, which could have deterred them from getting help. As a birthday present to myself, I started my own clinic, Services of Hope, to fill in the gaps right here in Muskegon.
It’s very important to me to provide services in both English and Spanish, and no service is limited to just one language. Patients feel understood when they can talk to someone in their own language without depending on a translator.
The positive feedback I have gotten from patients shows just how important accessible mental health services are. We take pride in making our office feel inclusive through decor and welcoming colors, and whether someone is here for a parenting class or a court-ordered program, we want to make them feel seen.
What Advice Would You Give Those Thinking of Applying for Comcast RISE?
Angelita: Don’t be afraid that your story isn’t big enough or that you won’t be noticed. Comcast is supporting the work of small businesses, and all you need to do is apply. Just because they are a large corporation doesn’t mean they don’t notice the work of your small business. You’ve already taken the leap and opened your business, and now, it’s time to take it to the next level.
Learn more about Services of Hope by visiting their website or calling 231-722-7980.
To learn and apply for the 2025 Comcast RISE grant in Grand Rapids and Muskegon, please visit www.comcastrise.com.
Click the links to read more about former Comcast RISE recipients A Solution B and Delight in Designs.