Stories

Dean Cycon was turning 70 and knew it was time for succession.  He started his fair trade coffee business in 1993 as an experiment to show it’s possible to support indigenous coffee farmers, pay them higher prices for beans, sell…

Building Dreams: LEAF’s Support for the Atlanta Land Trust In Greater Atlanta, where aspiring homeowners meet the realities of high housing costs, stands a ray of hope: the Atlanta Land Trust (ALT). Founded on the belief that everyone deserves a…

Lisa Evans and Tim Smith founded We Grow Microgreen greenhouse and farm in Hyde Park, Boston, MA in 2019. It has a 4,600-square-foot greenhouse plus two garden tunnels on approximately 1 acre of land. The farm grows microgreens, herbs, tea…

“Math is everywhere”. But for some children it’s just inside the school building. “Math should also be fun”. For children in underserved communities, math can be a source of anxiety for them and their caregivers.  How do we help children…

Ms. Shana Bryant is the founder of Shana Bryant Consulting, a thriving consultancy serving government agencies, small businesses, and nonprofits. Ms. Bryant’s journey began as a young mother determined to provide stability for her family and to complete her education.…

Explore the vibrant spirit of Seward Cooperative, a unique blend of worker and consumer co-op located in the heart of Minneapolis, MN—an epicenter of the food coop movement. With 23,000 member-owners, Seward Co-op recently underwent a transformative renovation of its…

The Student Cooperative is getting rehabbed with help from a LEAF loan

The “Food Conspiracy” is a food co-op in Tucson, AZ that began in 1971. In 2024 Food Conspiracy has 3000 member-owners. Food Conspiracy Co-op commemorates 50 years of Cooperation by completing a project the Owners and community have envisioned for…

Carol Ann: LEAF’s CFO Brings Financial Expertise and Compassion We are thrilled to introduce a new addition to the LEAF team, Ms. Carol Ann McAuliffe, Chief Financial Officer. With finance knowledge and a commitment to community development, Carol Ann brings…

Cozinha Gourmet was established by Rita Assunção, a native of Minas Gerais, Brazil, who inherited her culinary legacy from her grandmother. Upon relocating to the United States, Rita asked a question: how could she express her gratitude to the mothers…

A manufactured housing community, Bonnie’s Place, Missoula Montana “In my hometown of Missoula, the home where I lived for 30 years and where I’d raised my family, this manufactured housing community, was getting ready to be sold,” Brian Lease, board…

Dave Dumaresq grew up on Marsh Hill in Dracut, Massachusetts. At an early age, he began working on the Brox Farm in Dracut, learning the intricacies of New England farming from John Brox who had been tilling that land since…