MEMBER PROFILE

Thom Trause Ithaca Soy

Thom Trause, owner of Ithaca Soy, took advantage of the SBA Express Loan when he decided to buy out his partner and become sole owner of this local business. "It made sense for me to turn to Alternatives," Thom says of his choice, "because they aren't the starchy-shirt kind of people I usually find at financial institutions. The people at Alternatives were so helpful. I credit Alternatives for my ability to buy, relocate and run my business with no lapse in production at all. I can't imagine any other place that would have helped me the way Alternatives did. I guess I could say that because of my experience, I'll be back for any business needs I have in the future."

Credit Path® Seminar for
Community Development Practitioners

Alternatives Federal Credit Union recently completed its fifth Credit Path® Seminar for Community Development practitioners.

The Credit Path® was originally developed as a way of understanding our members’ financial situations, to enable Alternatives to incorporate the needs of our low income members into our business planning. The Credit Path describes where people are situated at various points along a continuum between poverty and self-sufficiency. Our job, as a community development financial institution, is to help our members move along that continuum by empowering them to make decisions, and offering opportunities, that will move them towards financial self-sufficiency.

We create a two-day forum to share our work with our peers. The agenda includes an overview of Alternatives' strategic approach, organizational structure, and program development. Break out sessions will allow participants to study programs that most interest them. The seminar concludes with a tour of the community that will give participants the chance to meet Alternatives’ members and see how our work translates into action.

This two day seminar will be held annually at Alternatives Federal Credit Union in Ithaca, New York. Visit this webpage again for details and registration information for the 2008 Credit Path Seminar.

Topics
Here's an example of previous Credit Path Seminar topics:

• Consumer, Business, Mortgage and Community Lending.
• Financial Literacy educational programs
• Individual Development Accounts
• Microenterprise training
• Retail Member Services
• Youth Credit Union
• Volunteer Free Tax Preparation Program
• Fundraising
  

The seminar includes a tour of the community that gives participants the chance to meet Alternatives’ members and see how our work translates into action. Small group discussions will allow each participant to delve deeper into a topic of choice.