The JP UP Date: Resilience Loans & CBA Fund

Number 67 May 22, 2020 St. Louis

JP Receives Funding from CBA Fund and Wells Fargo to Provide “Resilience Loans”

Wells Fargo and the CBA Fund, a loan fund administered by the Credit Builders Alliance, recently provided $1.3 million in grants and loan capital to Justine PETERSEN and eight other organizations supporting vulnerable consumers struggling due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These funds will allow Justine PETERSEN to provide flexible consumer financing to those struggling with gaps in income due to furloughs or unemployment. Justine PETERSEN will be targeting these “Resilience Loans” to homeownership clients to help them stay on track with their home purchase goals and to the employees of local small businesses who have experienced economic hardship in light of the pandemic. For more information please contact Franchot Cunningham at fcunningham@justinepetersen.org.

The Pandemic Diaries: Week Seven

The Pandemic Diaries is a weekly reflection penned by individual Justine PETERSEN staff members in the style of journaling, chronicling the daily reality of working from home in the wake of Covid-19. This week’s diary entry is written by Cameron Stuhl, Program Associate at Justine PETERSEN.

“What is it like working remotely?” I have been asked by friends and family.

Albeit I am no stranger to working remotely, this time is completely different. No more morning trips to the local coffee shop (I love pastries) to start my day, no lunches out with clients or friends, or trips to the Post Office.

This is what my typical day looks like now:
4:00 am – reflection and gratitude for all that is good (this keeps me grounded)
5:30 am – breakfast (smoothies are my favorite at the moment)
7:30 am – walk (keeps me sane), then talk with friends (good for my soul)
9:00 – the work day begins, I never know which hat I will be wearing. Good thing I like hats…
6:00 – try to get in another short walk (again for my sanity)

My evening:
Chat with friends (thank goodness for phones), prepare dinner (no dining out), read (prepare for book club via Zoom), watch Amazon Prime and Netflix (how did I ever survive without these?) and get caught up on personal emails, social media, etc., etc., etc….

The challenges for working remotely are different this time around for me, BECAUSE we (all of us) are fighting an invisible enemy. Those that have families have had to add extra routines to their day, such as home schooling, preparing 3 meals a day and snacks each and every day, not being able to see loved ones, visit loved ones in the hospital, and for those of us who are single without families, we are dealing with the solitude and isolation that social distancing has put on us as well. We are all in unchartered and unfamiliar waters.

Lastly I just want to say that Justine PETERSEN has done an incredible job in getting everything up and running and making sure everything is seamless and making sure we are taking care of our clients and prospects in the upmost professional manner. It is a pleasure working with the amazing staff at JP!

CONGRATULATIONS KE-LA!!

Serial JP intern extraordinaire Ke-La Harris has conquered college and is now set to conquer the world! Earning a BS in Middle School Education: Mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), Ke-La understands how it all adds up (pun intended!). She will miss her favorite professors as well as serving on various student committees and organizations, but she won’t miss ” dorm life.” “Learning how to face hard challenges on my own” was at the core of her collegiate success. CONGRATS KE-LA!