Gloria
Happy Kids Preschool and Family Daycare
Loan Amount: $10,000
Challenge: When Gloria first approached Opportunity Fund in 2006 she had a dream of running her own daycare, but no credit history to help secure financing from a bank. 
Result: A $10,000 loan, Gloria's 4th from Opportunity Fund, will help her to continue expanding her daycare (now also a preschool!) and ensure she has the facilities and educational equipment she needs. 
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Thao
Saving for her business
Challenge: Having recently arrived from Vietnam, Thao is still learning English while working as a waitress and taking care of her daughter. However, she dreams of opening her own hair salon. By learning to save each month, Thao is one step closer to making that dream a reality. 
Result: Thao is learning to manage her finances while pursuing a license in cosmetology. She plans to open her own business to help increase her family's income.
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Lana and Dave
Outerlands Cafe
Loan Amount: $10,000
Challenge: Lana and Dave used their own savings (and lots of recycled materials!) to rennovate their cafe. To open the doors, though, they needed capital to cover equipment and the initial payroll for their employees.
Result: With the help of a $10,000 loan, Outerlands officially opened in 2008. Three years later it is known throughout San Francisco as a cozy retreat from the fog, serving up delicious local food. 
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Mili
Yes V Can
Loan Amount: $5,000
Challenge: Because he couldn't secure a loan from a bank, Mili was renting a large-format printer for his signage business... for a cost that was 400% above market rate.
Result: With a $5,000 loan from Opportunity Fund, Mili purchased 2 used printers, allowing him to be more efficient and cost- effective.He was able to hire one new employee and anticipates another new hire in the near future! He was nominated for an award from SBA in honor of his commitment to job creation in the category "Businesses Under $25K".
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Susan
Saving for a home
Challenge: When Susan and her husband moved to the U.S., they had difficulty finding work despite their university-level educations. They dreamed of owning a home, but also had to pay for rent and food.
Result: In the Microsavings program the couple learned how to stick to a budget, and were able to save $100 each month until they reached their savings goal. Now, after saving for three years, they are the proud owners of a new home!
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William
Gentle Parking
Loan Amount: $7,500
Challenge: William opened for business in early 2009 and was turning a profit within 3 months. He needed financing to support his growth, but his credit had been affected by the economic downturn and he was unable to secure a loan from a bank.
Result: Three successive loans, starting with $7,500, have helped Gentle Parking grow from just one lot to eleven that employ 60 local workers!
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Ana
Paco Collars
Loan Amount: $2,000
Challenge: Demand for Paco Collars was increasing dramatically, but without an established business credit history Ana was unable to secure much-needed financing and increase her inventory.
Result: With a $2,000 loan Ana is beginning to build her credit history. Moving forward, this will allow her to establish a line of credit and grow the business. 
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Corey and John
Basic Green Cleaning Services
Loan Amount: $2,150
Challenge: As a father-son green janitorial business, Corey and John are hoping to clean San Francisco's offices as well as the environment. To grow, they need to build their business credit. 
Result: A $2,150 loan from Opportunity Fund will help Corey and John secure new contracts, as well as build their business credit for larger loans in the future as they continue to grow. 
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Karla
Saving for her education
Challenge: As the oldest of 3 and the daughter of immigrants, Karla knew it was on her to pay for  college. But, midway through her degree, she feared that the increasing cost of tuition & books would be too great a hurdle.  
Result: Karla saved $75 a month until she reached her savings goal of $2,000. With her savings and matched funds she paid part of her tuition and other school fees. Karla will be the 1st in her family to finish college.
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Koji & Kan
Onigilly
Loan Amount: $10,000
Challenge: Koji and Kan were shocked when they came to the U.S. and their favorite Japanese snack, 'onigilly', was nowhere to be found. To solve the problem they decided to start their own mobile food cart business!
Result: With a $10,000 loan Koji and Kan were able to buy a food cart and take their product to the streets of San Francisco. Now, they serve lunch each day to hungry workers in San Francisco's Financial District.  
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Tirunesh and Teklu
Saving for Citizenship
Challenge: Tirunesh and Teklu moved to the United States from Ethiopia in 2004 to join their daughter and grandchildren. Proud of their new home, they wanted to become U.S. citizens as well.
Result: For the first time in their lives, Tirunesh and Teklu opened a savings account. After one year they had saved enough to pay the citizenship application fee, and in 2010 the pair officially became U.S. citizens!
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Joey
Infamous Metal Works
Loan Amount: $10,000
Challenge: To expand his the design services he could offer his clients, Joey needed to purchase an expensive machine for his shop.
Result: Since purchasing the new equipment, Joey has seen Infamous Metal Works grow more than he could have imagined! Joey bought and expanded into the shop next door, hired 2 new employees, and will soon be selling his products in stores!
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Mitesh
Threads Beauty Bar
Loan Amount: $100,000
Challenge: Despite their high FICO scores, banks did not approve Mitesh and his wife Chetna for a loan because their salon was too young. 
Result: A $100,000 loan helped Mitesh and Chetna do the tenant improvements and purchase additional salon equipment. They now employ 26 people! 
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Craig & Alice
Saving for a home
Challenge: Before he met Alice, Craig was a self-described “free-spender.” She helped rein him in,
he explained, but in order to accomplish their goal of buying a home the couple needed an extra boost.
Result: Craig and Alice worked hard to cut their debt, improve their credit, and save each month. Now, they are the proud owners of a new home in Morgan Hill.
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Worker-owned Cooperative
Natural Home Cleaning Professionals
Loan Amount: $14,400
Challenge: By forming their own business cooperative, 7 home- cleaning professionals knew they could increase their wages and improve working conditions. However, the upfront cost was more than any could afford on her own.
Result: With a $14,400 loan from Opportunity Fund, Natural Home Cleaning was born!
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Olivier and Chef Mike C.
Kitchen on Fire
Loan Amount: $52,000
Challenge: Kitchen on Fire's prime location in Berkeley's "gourmet ghetto" is a local favorite. But when they approached their bank for a loan in order to open up a second location, they were denied because they business was too young and their financing needs were too small. 
Result:  Their bank referred them to us and they were able to open a beautiful second location!
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Leonardo
Saving for his business
Challenge: Leonardo had nine years of janitorial experience and wanted to start his own business, but didn't have the start-up capital he needed.
Result: Leonardo saved $100 each month in his savings account until he reached his goal of $2,000. In the financial education classes he also learned how to form and manage his business, so that he now has the tools he needs to make Aza Janitorial Services a success!
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Willis
Special Electric Construction
Loan Amount: $5,000
Challenge: Willis needed a line of credit to complete large construction projects, but he had never taken on debt or borrowed on credit cards. Despite his 34 years of experience, traditional banks turned him away.
Result: A $5,000 loan from Opportunity Fund helped Willis to finish a large project in Oakland. With the loan he was also able to begin establishing a credit history for his business. 
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Georgia

The Pretty Pretty Collective

Loan Amount: $10,000

Challenge: After years of working as a stylist at other people's salons, Georgia finally bought her own. But to turn her vision into a reality, she needed start-up capital.
Result: With a $10,000 loan Georgia successfully opened her hair salon in San Francisco's Mission District. The salon provides space for other stylists, and turns into a gallery at night to feature the work of local artists.

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Kim
Bascom Best Cleaners
Loan Amount: $25,000
Challenge: Kim needed to replace her outdated drycleaning equipment with more efficient, eco-friendly machines. The upfront investment, however, was more than she could afford.  
Result: With a $25,000 loan Kim was able to afford new equipment. Kim, her family, and her employees will now be able to cut down on the number of overtime hours they must work!  
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Dora
Saving for citizenship

Challenge: Dora and her children fled El Salvador in search of greater economic opportunity. After years of turmoil, Dora dreamed of the stability of U.S. citizenship, but could not afford to pay the application fee.

Result: Dora found out about Opportunity Fund's Microsavings Program from her librarian, and quickly enrolled. Now a graduate of the program, Dora became a U.S. citizen in October, 2010!

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Rebekka and DJ
La Crepe a Moi
Loan Amount: $3,075

Challenge: After moving to the U.S. from Paris, Rebekka and DJ worked together at a restaurant in the Bay Area. When it closed in 2010, they pursued their love of the industry by opening up their own crepe stand called La Crepe a Moi. However, they were denied for a loan from a major bank because their business was too young and their credit was too low.
Result: With a $3,075 loan from Opportunity Fund, Rebekka and DJ were able to purchase new crepe burners which will allow them to hire a part-time employee to help as a cashier while Rebekka and DJ concentrate on churning out more delicious crepes.
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Rocio and Alejandro
Inkza Crafts
Loan Amount: $3,000
Challenge: Rocio and Alejandro received their first loan from Opportunity Fund in 2007. Business was doing well until 2011 when a robbery left them with several damaged and stolen items, and the need to replace this inventory.
Result: With a $3,000 loan, Opportunity Fund helped Rocio and Alejandro get back on track after the robbery.
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Kiara
Saving for her education
Challenge: A native of East Palo Alto, Kiara was determined to go to college but wasn't sure how to pay for tuition.
Result: Kiara saved $100 a month for two years to reach her savings goal of $2,000. She used her savings and matched funds to go towards tuition at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. With the help of the Microsavings program and other scholarships, Kiara was able to avoid taking on expensive student loans!
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Juri and Jason
Dell'Uva
Loan Amount: $52,000
Challenge: Jason and Juri's restaurant and wine bar was flourishing in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, so they wanted to open up a second location. They were denied by a bank because their business was too young.
Result:  Their bank referred them to Opportunity Fund, who gave them the capital they needed to open up a beautiful new restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District.
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