In the third quarter of 2015, the Loan Fund provided $790,000 in flexible, supported financing to small businesses, early education and child care programs, affordable housing developers, and community-focused organizations, supporting job creation, safe and affordable homes, high-quality early care and vital community services throughout Vermont.
Commenting on the busy lending period, VCLF Executive Director Will Belongia said “Loan after loan, quarter after quarter, year after year, VCLF's work creating access to capital continues to show great benefits for Vermont: stronger, healthier communities, new jobs, safe, affordable homes, families on the rise. The opportunities we create for all Vermonters go far beyond the dollars and cents."
Projects financed in Q3 2015 include:
Addison County Community Trust, Waltham
ACCT, nonprofit developer of affordable housing in Addison County, will use VCLF financing to support the redevelopment of a blighted mobile home park in Waltham into an affordable rental community. ACCT will remove the blighted homes, remediate soils contaminated by spilled fuel oil and build 14 high-performance zero-net energy homes; the community's siting provides easy access to services and jobs. addisontrust.org
Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt, Hartland
Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt produces their artisanal frozen dessert in small batches from the milk of local Jersey cows. They used a VCLF loan to purchase the batch freezer they needed to double their production. The loan preserves one full-time and one part-time job. cobbhillcheese.org/frozenyogurt
D & J Investments used VCLF funding to purchase the building they had been renting for their child care center, Dooda's Daycare, which provides quality care serving 53 children and their families, as well as eight full-time and three part-time jobs.
Fine Wooden Furniture, Mt. Tabor
Bob Gasperetti's Fine Wooden Furniture makes heirloom quality furniture for home and office, with designs inspired by the Shaker and Arts & Crafts movements. He came to VCLF to help refinance existing debt, significantly improving the businesses financing position and preserving two jobs. gasperetti.com
Greenfield Highland Beef, Plainfield and Greensboro
These producers of high-quality beef contacted VCLF through the Carrot Project for a loan to purchase a tractor and refinance existing debt. The tractor will allow them to harvest fields for hay at both of their locations in Greensboro and Plainfield, significantly reducing their feed costs. greenfieldhighlandbeef.com
Living Well Community Care Home, Burlington
With Vermont predicted soon to have the seventh-oldest population in the country, elder housing presents an urgent and rising need. Living Well Community Care Home, a nonprofit licensed level III residential care and assisted living care organization, came to VCLF for financing to cover pre-development costs in preparation of expanding their facility, increasing capacity from 36 to 47 beds. livingwellresidence.org
Manufacturers of specialized medical and surgical devices, the Nathaniel Group used a VCLF loan to continue essential research & development and to help with their marketing. The loan preserves 15 jobs and is expected to create three new ones. nathaniel.com
Pulmac Systems International, Williston
Pulmac Systems manufactures, distributes and services precision instruments that measure quality of fibers and pulp in paper manufacturing. Their equipment is installed in mills of the country’s largest paper companies. They’ll use a VCLF line of credit to help fund their continued growth. pulmac.com
Red Brick Early Childhood Center, Shaftsbury
In the Shaftsbury area, where high-quality early care is a pressing need, two STARS-rated child care programs merged and, with VCLF financing, purchased a facility to house the new, expanded Red Brick Early Childhood Center. A second loan will now consolidate credit card debt accounts incurred during start-up. The loan preserves care for 42 children and their families, and will create availabilities for 33 new children. The loan also preserves seven jobs and is anticipated to create eight new ones.
Robbins Mountain Enterprise, Bolton
Robbin’s Mountain Enterprise, a maple sugaring operation, used a VCLF loan to make improvements to their sugar house. The loan preserves one full-time job.
Sugar Towne Wood Fired Maple Syrup, Duxbury
Sugar Towne Wood Fired Maple Syrup produces maple syrup and maple candy for retail and wholesale. They’ll use a VCLF loan to purchase a new pump and filter press, materials to install 2,000 additional taps and facility upgrades, including a concrete slab and upgraded power to the sugarhouse. The loan will help preserve one job.
Vermont Bean Crafters, Warren
Vermont Bean Crafters makes a variety of bean-based products (burgers, soups, sauces) that they sell to retail and wholesale outlets. They will use a VCLF loan to complete their relocation from Mad River Food Hub's ‘incubator’ space to the Kingsbury Farm in Warren. The move necessitates purchase of a walk-in freezer, forklift, and other inventory. The loan results in the preservation of three full-time and three part-time jobs. vermontbeancrafters.com
In the third quarter of 2015, the Loan Fund provided $790,000 in flexible, supported financing to small businesses, early education and child care programs, affordable housing developers, and community-focused organizations, supporting job creation, safe and affordable homes, high-quality early care and vital community services throughout Vermont.
Commenting on the busy lending period, VCLF Executive Director Will Belongia said “Loan after loan, quarter after quarter, year after year, VCLF's work creating access to capital continues to show great benefits for Vermont: stronger, healthier communities, new jobs, safe, affordable homes, families on the rise. The opportunities we create for all Vermonters go far beyond the dollars and cents."
Projects financed in Q3 2015 include:
Addison County Community Trust, Waltham
ACCT, nonprofit developer of affordable housing in Addison County, will use VCLF financing to support the redevelopment of a blighted mobile home park in Waltham into an affordable rental community. ACCT will remove the blighted homes, remediate soils contaminated by spilled fuel oil and build 14 high-performance zero-net energy homes; the community's siting provides easy access to services and jobs. addisontrust.org
Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt, Hartland
Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt produces their artisanal frozen dessert in small batches from the milk of local Jersey cows. They used a VCLF loan to purchase the batch freezer they needed to double their production. The loan preserves one full-time and one part-time job. cobbhillcheese.org/frozenyogurt
D & J Investments used VCLF funding to purchase the building they had been renting for their child care center, Dooda's Daycare, which provides quality care serving 53 children and their families, as well as eight full-time and three part-time jobs.
Fine Wooden Furniture, Mt. Tabor
Bob Gasperetti's Fine Wooden Furniture makes heirloom quality furniture for home and office, with designs inspired by the Shaker and Arts & Crafts movements. He came to VCLF to help refinance existing debt, significantly improving the businesses financing position and preserving two jobs. gasperetti.com
Greenfield Highland Beef, Plainfield and Greensboro
These producers of high-quality beef contacted VCLF through the Carrot Project for a loan to purchase a tractor and refinance existing debt. The tractor will allow them to harvest fields for hay at both of their locations in Greensboro and Plainfield, significantly reducing their feed costs. greenfieldhighlandbeef.com
Living Well Community Care Home, Burlington
With Vermont predicted soon to have the seventh-oldest population in the country, elder housing presents an urgent and rising need. Living Well Community Care Home, a nonprofit licensed level III residential care and assisted living care organization, came to VCLF for financing to cover pre-development costs in preparation of expanding their facility, increasing capacity from 36 to 47 beds. livingwellresidence.org
Manufacturers of specialized medical and surgical devices, the Nathaniel Group used a VCLF loan to continue essential research & development and to help with their marketing. The loan preserves 15 jobs and is expected to create three new ones. nathaniel.com
Pulmac Systems International, Williston
Pulmac Systems manufactures, distributes and services precision instruments that measure quality of fibers and pulp in paper manufacturing. Their equipment is installed in mills of the country’s largest paper companies. They’ll use a VCLF line of credit to help fund their continued growth. pulmac.com
Red Brick Early Childhood Center, Shaftsbury
In the Shaftsbury area, where high-quality early care is a pressing need, two STARS-rated child care programs merged and, with VCLF financing, purchased a facility to house the new, expanded Red Brick Early Childhood Center. A second loan will now consolidate credit card debt accounts incurred during start-up. The loan preserves care for 42 children and their families, and will create availabilities for 33 new children. The loan also preserves seven jobs and is anticipated to create eight new ones.
Robbins Mountain Enterprise, Bolton
Robbin’s Mountain Enterprise, a maple sugaring operation, used a VCLF loan to make improvements to their sugar house. The loan preserves one full-time job.
Sugar Towne Wood Fired Maple Syrup, Duxbury
Sugar Towne Wood Fired Maple Syrup produces maple syrup and maple candy for retail and wholesale. They’ll use a VCLF loan to purchase a new pump and filter press, materials to install 2,000 additional taps and facility upgrades, including a concrete slab and upgraded power to the sugarhouse. The loan will help preserve one job.
Vermont Bean Crafters, Warren
Vermont Bean Crafters makes a variety of bean-based products (burgers, soups, sauces) that they sell to retail and wholesale outlets. They will use a VCLF loan to complete their relocation from Mad River Food Hub's ‘incubator’ space to the Kingsbury Farm in Warren. The move necessitates purchase of a walk-in freezer, forklift, and other inventory. The loan results in the preservation of three full-time and three part-time jobs. vermontbeancrafters.com