passionate farmer uses microloan to stabilize business during tough winter months

Claudio grew up in Mexico watching his parents operate a farm, which made him passionate about working the land. Since Claudio's move to the United States 20 years ago, he has worked on farms in upstate New York and found seasonal employment at different factories during the winter months. Fascinated by the variety of produce that is grown in the US, Claudio made a decision 7 years ago to rent land and start a farm of his own - Gonzalez Farm - sustained with the support from the Grow NYC New Farmer Development program.

When Hurricane Irene swept through - devastating crops from Claudio Gonzalez's farm - it was his loyal Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) customers that took immediate action to save his business. By collectively pooling their savings, Claudio's CSA was able offset lost income and monetary damages that kept Claudio's farm from going under. This demonstration of un-coerced, homegrown support is no less organic than the farm fresh vegetables Claudio has been selling for over 7 years. With a variety of over 50 types of vegetables sold at 6 different markets throughout New York City, Claudio has amassed a dedicated following of patrons that can quickly discern the quality of Claudio's produce.

In 2011, Claudio searched for loan capital to help cover the cost of his next batch of seedlings for the spring, but like other immigrant entrepreneurs, a short credit history made it challenging for him to secure funding for his business. As a member of Grow NYC, Claudio attended a financing workshop on Dec. 1 and met with an Accion Loan consultant. Looking beyond Claudio's credit score, Accion approved a $2,000 microloan for seedlings, helping Claudio to stabilize his business during tough winter months.

If you are interested in joining Claudio's CSA, you can visit this website!