Edmundite Missions was chosen as one of 16 social entrepreneurs for the BBVA Compass’ Momentum Program.

The Missions is the only company from the city of Selma chosen for the 16-member program that helps organizations enhance their operations to change people’s lives.

The proceeds will go to Edmundite Missions Enterprises, which reinvests the profits from food sales to charitable initiatives.

“The Momentum program is a great opportunity for the Edmundite Missions to receive first-class guidance on our social enterprise program, and a special recognition of how effective Edmundite Missions Enterprises has been since its creation,” Edmundite Missions President and CEO Chad McEachern said in a release.

The program starts as each social entrepreneur selected to the program will be paired with a personal representative from BBVA Compass. It includes five months of face-to-face and online education training that begins next month and ends in November.

The Momentum initiative has been around since 2011, but is only entering its second year operating in the states. The success of last year’s pilot United States program, focused around 20 social entrepreneurs in Texas, lead to BBVA expanding their initiative beyond state lines for its second year of existence in the U.S.  Since 2011, over 200 organizations have participated in BBVA’s accelerator program.

“Our new wave of entrepreneurs are using their businesses to tackle some of the most challenging issues facing our society,” BBVA’s Director of Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Reymundo Ocanas said.

When the program ends, prizes are awarded to organizations that are deemed to have the largest social impact.

“I am looking forward to seeing how this helps us continue to make an impact in the lives of those in poverty in the Deep South,” McEachern said.