Posts by vberman
Community at the Heart of Chinatown CLT (Boston, MA)
As housing costs skyrocket across Boston, the Chinatown Community Land Trust (CCLT), with support from LEAF, is fighting to ensure that the working-class families who built Chinatown can afford to stay and thrive there.
A History of Resilience and Displacement…Read More
Meet LEAF Team Member, Fatiha Ainane
A Conversation with LEAF Team Member, Fatiha Ainane
What do you like best about LEAF?
Fatiha: What I like best about LEAF is the teamwork and the genuine commitment everyone has to doing good, both locally and beyond. Each LEAF…Read More
Friends of Gardens (Revere, MA)
From a family farm in El Salvador to the gardens of Boston, the Friends of Gardens journey is one of resilience, growth, and nurturing the land and dreams. Eulalio Guevara’s connection to the soil was forged tending a corn, beans,…Read More
International Economic Leaders and Boston Coalition Launch ‘Social Economy Road Show’ to Advance Cooperative Business Models
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Virginia Berman, Local Enterprise Assistance Fund Communications Director (LEAF)
Phone: 617-390-4076 (cell)
Email: vberman@leaffund.org
International Economic Leaders and Boston Coalition Launch ‘Social Economy Road Show’ to Advance Cooperative Business Models
BOSTON, MA — May…Read More
Mass Food Trust Program Action 2026
Thank you for taking action to support the Massachusetts Food Trust Program in the FY27 House Budget! As an advocate, your voice is critically important. Follow these quick steps to raise your voice for the Massachusetts Food Trust:
Find your…Read More
La Montañita Cooperative is Growing (Albuquerque NM)
New Mexico is vast with open land. But many places—particularly Native and Pueblo communities—have limited access to healthy, affordable food. Albuquerque and Gallup are food deserts, with grocery stores scarce. On Native land, this scarcity is the result of a…Read More
Meet LEAF Team Member, José Luis Rojas
We get to learn more about the team, the Chief Lending Officer at LEAF, José Luis Rojas.
Q: What do you like best about LEAF?
José Luis: There are several things I like best about LEAF, including:
The people. They…Read More
Investing in Food Access & Ownership with Caribbean Markets (Haverhill, MA)
In Haverhill, MA, a group of immigrant entrepreneurs is building more than a grocery store that’s giving the community access to stability, opportunity, and healthy foods.
Caribbean Markets, a large-format neighborhood grocery, is owned equally by family members, Randy Mejia,…Read More
Support Healthy Food
The Massachusetts State Senate will begin debate on these bills: healthy foods, toxic-free kids and clean air Weds April 15th, 2026. We can help influence state policies to create the community we seek to build. Find your senator here and…Read More
Softstar Becomes Employee-Owned (Philomath, OR)
LEAF supports Project Equity in funding Softstar Shoe to become an Employee-Owned Business
C.Elf.O Tricia
February 10 2026
From humble beginnings in 1985, through 40 years of crafting colorful and comfortable minimal leather shoes, this year marks a special achievement…Read More
Midnight Morning: From Dream to Open Sign (Boston, MA)
Virginia Brown carried an idea for years: a place where people of all ages would gather, relaxed with food made from scratch, thoughtful drinks throughout the day. When she found the space that would be Midnight Morning, she then needed…Read More
LEAF Honored to Receive IA50 2026 Award
LEAF was recently honored to have been selected by ImpactAssets 50® (IA 50) for inclusion in their fund managers guide for the third year in a row! The IA 50 “highlights fund managers delivering demonstrable social and environmental impact, setting…Read More