Number 113 April 09, 2021 St. Louis
Justine PETERSEN Receives $100k from Town and Country Bank for Small Business Loan Fund
Justine PETERSEN recently received a $100k loan from Town and Country Bank to originate small business loans throughout their central Illinois footprint. Targeting small businesses that are unable to access mainstream financing, the $100k will provide an opportunity for access to safe and affordable capital through Justine PETERSEN’s CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution). Additionally, Town and Country Bank will provide referrals for the loan program. And already within a matter of a few weeks, two small business loan referrals from Town and Country bankers have resulted in approved and fully funded loan requests! Thank you Town and Country Bank!
Credit Building and Covid: Field Survey Results
Credit Building Nation, Justine PETERSEN’s national credit building initiative, conducted a survey in late 2020 of organizations providing credit building services to understand the effect of the COVID pandemic on organizations and clients. Survey highlights include:
• 89% of organizations have adapted their 1-1 sessions to be virtual using tools such as zoom. However, the majority (81%) have experienced challenges with virtual sessions.
• Clients have an increased interest in savings and an increased understanding of the importance of credit and savings. This points to a real opportunity for a credit building program that includes a savings component.
• Credit builder loans were the product that respondents were most likely to connect clients to and yet only 40% of respondents report that their organizations offer products directly.
• Organizations are being stretched and challenged to assist vulnerable populations who need emergency assistance.
Read the full survey results: https://creditbuildingnation.org/credit-building-tools/research-and-reports/
Small Business Legal Clinic Thursday, April 15th! RSVP Today!
Does your small business have unanswered legal questions? Do you want the sage counsel of an attorney free of charge? Then your small business should register for our April 15th Legal Clinic. Brought to you by a concerted effort of Emerson, the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and Justine PETERSEN, attorneys are available to meet, via a virtual format, with small business owners or would be small business owners to discuss myriad small business issues, ranging from insurance, to copyright concerns to discussing the fine print of leases and contracts. The 30 minute sessions are pro bono and entirely confidential. RSVP today by contacting Shawna Collier at scollier@justinepetersen.org or 314.533.2411 x 136.
Positive Prophetic Proclamation (PPP 9.0)
