Greetings! Life always seems to speed up during the final months of the year. The days grow shorter as our calendars are packed full with social gatherings and time spent with family. At Opportunity Fund, we want to thank you for your support and share news from recent months. -Eric Weaver & the Opportunity Fund team
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| Client Spotlight: Dell'uva restaurants | 
Dell'uva restaurants Italian restaurant & wine bar www.delluvasf.com
$52,000 loan from Opportunity Fund
11 jobs sustained and created
Jason and Juri are the dynamic duo running one of San Francisco's most popular Italian restaurants, Dell'uva. Going into the restaurant business in 2007 was risky, but Dell'uva quickly became a locals' favorite in the City's North Beach neighborhood. Business flourished and they decided to open a second location in the Mission District. Despite their success, however, Jason and Juri had a hard time getting the financing they needed in order to grow because they were still considered a 'new' business.
Opportunity Fund lent Dell'uva $52,000 earlier this year to help them open a second restaurant location. Their dream is now a reality, and Dell'uva serves dinner and wines every night at their new location at 3235 Mission Street. As their culinary enterprise grows, Jason and Juri's contribution to the local economy continues to expand: they now employ 11 people! Looking ahead, Juri shares, "In the future, we would love to open additional restaurants in different cities." Congratulations, Juri and Jason! |
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Taste of Microfinance Recap
| | A tasty triumph! | Food lovers and philanthropists celebrated at Opportunity Fund's Taste of Microfinance on September 27th in San Francisco, where they enjoyed tamales, cupcakes, samurai snacks and more from up-and-coming chefs in the local food scene.
The food festival and fundraiser gathered 400 people for an evening to celebrate entrepreneurship and microfinance in the local food scene, with proceeds benefiting Opportunity Fund's microfinance clients in California.
Thank you to everyone who came, to the chefs who produced outstanding tasty bites, and to our lead sponsors: BBVA Compass and Silicon Valley Bank! If you missed the party, rumor has it we may do this again next year... |
| 'Tis the Season - 2011 Annual Fundraising Campaign |
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Over 60 days we aim to raise $300,000 to create 1,000 jobs.
A good job is more than a paycheck. A job means money, stability, hope. With your help, Opportunity Fund will put 1,000 people to work in the Bay Area. Each Opportunity Fund loan helps business owners keep or create 2.4 jobs, on average. Small business growth = job growth. It's that simple.
45 days remain to meet our goal to create 1,000 jobs. If you haven't already, please check out our 1,000 Jobs Challenge and help create jobs today! Click here.
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Progress so far: 326 jobs |
| Job Openings: Seeking Entrepreneurial, Committed People | Join our growing team!
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A warm welcome to our newest staff members: Damian, Brynne and Hanna! We are currently recruiting a Customer Service Representative for our Microlending team. Visit our Careers page to learn more - and please spread the word!
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From Our Blog: The Politics and Philanthropy in Job Creation
| Creating jobs is a hot topic, and it's also achievable.
by Eric Weaver, Opportunity Fund CEO
Published November 16, 2011 | |
 Last month, Opportunity Fund launched our 1,000 Jobs Challenge, a fundraising campaign which aims to raise $300,000 to create 1,000 jobs. Along with the dollars they send us, donors have also submitted some fascinating comments. Take this one: "I contributed to the 1,000 Jobs Challenge because I'm tired of Congress' inaction and feel my dollars are better spent in direct aid. I have stopped all political contributions and will re-direct money in this manner."
I found this striking because it pretty much echoes the opinions and actions of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. In August, Schultz called on others to stop making any political contributions until our political leaders work out a serious long-term budget deal that includes job creation strategies. At the time he said, "Our economy is frozen in a cycle of fear and uncertainty. Companies are afraid to hire. Consumers are afraid to spend. Banks are afraid to lend." Keep reading>>
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Press Roundup
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Recent new clippings
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November 13, 2011
"Unbanked in America: 5 things you didn't know re: microfinance in the US"
September 28, 2011
"Microloans 101" August 16, 2011 |
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