Archive for February 2026
LEAF’s Unique CDFI
Community Development Financial Institutions exist to do what traditional lenders will not: take disciplined risks in underserved communities. They finance businesses and housing projects that strengthen local economies but fall outside conventional underwriting standards. Their impact is measurable. For every…Read More
Resilience Through Partnerships: Fresh Food Generation (Boston, MA)
Fresh Food Generation (FFG), a Dorchester-based Caribbean restaurant and catering company founded by Cassandria Campbell and Jackson Renshaw, has been a LEAF partner since 2020. Over that time, FFG grew from a shared commissary kitchen to a multi-channel operation serving…Read More
Avalon Community Land Trust (Bloomington, IN)
In Bloomington, Indiana, like in many cities today, housing costs exceed what many residents can pay. Local residents and university students compete for the same limited housing stock, driving rents higher and leaving few stable options for people who want…Read More
LEAF Honors Black Business Owners
The history of the United States is inseparable from Black history. The legacy of people who survived enslavement, fought for freedom, and built communities under systems of exclusion reveals a depth of resilience that continues to shape the nation today.…Read More
People’s Food Cooperative is Growing (Portland, OR)
Founded in 1970 by university students, People’s Food Cooperative in Portland, Oregon began with a simple purpose: to provide healthy foods that were not widely available in supermarkets. The co-op purchased a 100-year-old Italian grocery store and built something lasting—an…Read More
What Happens When 2.9 Million Business Owners Retire?
When Rob Fetz faced retirement after 70 years running his Ohio plumbing and HVAC business, he had two options: sell to private equity firms consolidating family contractors across the Midwest, or close the doors forever.
Instead, he chose a third…Read More