Author Archives: impact

On a Tuesday afternoon, students in the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s directed SIFE (Students with Interrupted Formal Education) program at Belle Sherman Elementary can be found hard at work learning about money and getting hands-on banking experience depositing money into their Alternatives Impact Student Credit Union accounts. The students, Burmese refugees, range from 2nd to 5th [...]

The Nutritional Wellness Center is celebrating its eighth year in business. We started on the right foot in 2006 by attending the Business CENTS program and by receiving a business loan. So far we have helped over 1,000 people on their journey to optimal health. Our mission is to help as many people as humanly [...]

At NorthStar House, we use as many local, organic vegetables and meats as we can, so you have our word that we will do all we can to help the community grow in the healthiest way possible. Naturally we bank at Alternatives, not only because they share our goals of community development, but they also [...]

In 2005 I started thinking about a retail start-up called “Home Green Home” that would sell healthy and eco-conscious home furnishings and renovation supplies. The Business CENTS program helped me to understand and develop the elements of a business plan, and set me on the path to taking the big leap.

I was attracted to Alternatives’ educational programs MoneyWise and Business CENTS. I knew I needed to learn more about finances to successfully run a business. I applied for the business IDA (Individual Development Account) – this coupled with the guest lecturers were of great use to my business education. I am now a Professional Success [...]