BCNA CLIENTS KNOW HOW TO ENTERTAIN
Ravindra is the owner of Parsons Ale House, a sports bar/lounge that features draft beer, specialty ales, and traditional American food, as well as an area to watch sports and enjoy other forms of entertainment. A loan from BCNA provided this business with the cash flow it needed to open its doors.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS PREVENT BAD HAIR DAYS
Natalia Gotesman has over twenty years of experience in helping her clients look their best. However it was only recently that she was able to complete her dream by opening her own beauty salon in her neighborhood in Brooklyn. Now she can use her expertise to provide the quality services she feels that the women in her community deserve. BCNA staff helped Natalia with marketing advice and a loan for equipment.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS INCREASE THEIR INCOME
A loan from BCNA enabled Valentina and German to pay off their high-interest credit card debt and provided much needed cash flow for their growing child care business. Valentina and German then used their IDA savings and matching funds to invest in new furniture and toys. Since working with BCNA, their income has increased by 40%.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS GET AROUND
Mohammed Aly Diallo came to the US in 2004 due to the political unrest in his native Republic of Guinea and was granted political asylum in 2011. He attended BCNA workshops and, with a matching grant, his savings, and a loan from BCNA he was able to purchase a Lincoln Town Car for his car service business. His goal is to save up to purchase a Medallion for his own Yellow Cab.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS HELP OTHERS
Binika Chunara, who came to the US from Nepal in 2011 with her family, applied to the BCNA IDA Program and used the matched savings for tuition and a computer at Baltimore City Community College.She is majoring in bio-technology and computer sciences and plans to work after graduating before studying for a Masters degree in her field. She would like to return to Nepal and help promote higher education for Nepalese girls.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS HELP NEW YORKERS GET AROUND!
Ibrahim Ba, a refugee from Mauritania, was shocked to discover that his credit report listed over $30,000 in debts that were not his. BCNA's staff helped him report and correct the error then enrolled him in our IDA Program. He completed a course in Basics of Money and Assets and then used $8,000 from savings and match funds to invest in a car for his business.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS TAKE CARE OF OTHERS
Hui Ping Liu, owner of LH Human Resources Inc., a home health care agency, is dedicated to providing home care to the elderly, disabled, and individuals recovering from illness or surgery, in the Chinese and Vietnamese communities. BCNA provided a loan of $35,000 to help start and grow this business. Ms. Liu has pre-paid the loan and is successfully managing this business which has to date created over one hundred jobs.
translating dreams into success
BCNA HELPS CLIENTS CREATE ASSETS
When Yelena first came to BCNA, she had just started Smiles R' Us, a day care center. Several loans from BCNA over a ten year period - and a lot of hard work and dedication from Yelena and her partner - have enabled her to successfully expand to a second location as well as purchase the building in which her first business is located. Her entrepreneurship has created 35 jobs to date.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS START BUSINESSES
Galina Zavyalova used her IDA savings and matching funds to start G & L Alteration and Repair, which provides professional and affordable alteration and repair services in Brooklyn. As a business owner and a single parent, Galina works hard but appreciates having a flexible schedule. BCNA has made several microloans to her business to help with cash flow.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS CREATE STARTUPS
Abou Dia, CEO and Founder of Kinxtel Corporation, a telecommunications company based in New York, was the recipient of BCNA's 2013 Boot Strap Entrepreneur Award. Mr. Dia is a serial entrepreneur and expert marketer with a record of founding and building startups, brick and mortat as well as in the marketing space. He is a graduate of BCNA's IDA Program.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS MAKE EXOTIC MEALS
Chef Raj Perera has worked in many international hotels but his greatest pride and joy has been to start this family operated restaurant, Banana Leaf, which serves exotic dishes like Lampris - a meal of cashews, eggplant, seafood, and plantains, baked in banana leaves!
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS MAKE A FRESH START
Fatimata Bah is a refugee from Sierra Leone who came to the US in 2007 to start a new life. In 2008 she enrolled in BCNA's IDA Savings Program and invested her savings and the matching funds in Bah General Merchandise, a retail store in the Bronx that she runs with her husband and her daughter. She has used two microloans BCNA has made to her business to purchase inventory, which has increased sales and profits.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS CREATE ART
Bernard Domingo, a refugee from Zimbabwe, creates colorful and unique sculptures in wire and beads. A graduate of BCNA's IDA Program, he invested his savings and IDA matching funds to buy supplies and tools for his business. That plus loan from BCNA enabled him to participate in trade shows and create marketing materials, as well as enhance his website and develop an on-line marketing strategy.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS BELIEVE IN THE AMERICAN DREAM
Abdoulaye Ndiaye is a refugee from Mauritania who believes in the American Dream. He used his savings and matching funds from BCNA's IDA Program to start a small retail business. Then Abdoulaye, who is constantly thinking of different ways to grow his business, used a loan from BCNA to move to a better and larger location.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS START HEALTHY BUSINESSES
Since coming to the US, Kin Chun Tam has worked at several restaurants and grocery stores, saving to startv a vegetable stand in Chinatown: Tam's Vegetables. She was selected for one of our Woman & Co Boost Award cash grants - funded by Citi Bank - using it to purchase a new scale and all-weather signage. She has expanded to a second cart and also supplies restaurants with fresh vegetables.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS GET DEGREES
Abdoul Diallo came to the US in 2009 as a refugee from Guinea. He found part-time cashier work and enrolled full time in community college, studying criminal justice. He took BCNA's The Basics of Money and Assets workshop to qualify for our IDA Savings Program. With the matched savings he was able to purchase a computer and an iPad to support his studies.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS ARE ARTISANS
Freddy Borghes creates unique works of art in the form of installations, murals, and sculptures. BCNA's eCommerce workshops, as well as a grant from our Ebay Foundation-funded Techquity Award Program, enabled Freddy to operate his business in a much more cost effective manner.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS GET DEGREES
Samal Nur came to the US in 2009 as a refugee from Kazakhstan. With a B.A. in Human Resources Management, she continued her education, studying English as a second language at a community college, while working part-time. With the help of matching funds from BCNA's IDA Savings program, she paid for tuition at Aveda Beauty Institute. She is currently working at a prestigious salon and saving to open her own salon.
translating dreams into success
BCNA CLIENTS CREATE MARKETS
Kathy Malone is the creator of an on-line site called Brooklyn Indie Market. Her site, which provides a platform for Brooklyn artisans and designers to sell their unique products, was selected by our Techquity Award Program, which is made possible through funding from Ebay. Kathy, who is also the creator of a line of handmade apparel called Fofolle, now serves on our Advisory Committee.
translating dreams into success
What We Offer
Microloans
Targeted small loans (microloans) to help you get started with a new business, expand an existing business, or re-finance.
Home Ownership
Assistance getting a down payment and information about how to buy your first home or apartment.
Savings Accounts for Refugees (IDA Program)
Savings grants that match each dollar you save with a dollar in grant money.
Latest News
More Advocacy Needed for Micro and Small Businesses
A few weeks ago I stepped out to buy lunch at one of the food carts in the square opposite Zuccotti P
ark, the park that was made famous by "Occupy Wall Street" protesters. But instead of the usual line of food carts like Biriyani Cart and Dumpling House, I found the dismayed vendors holding a press conference. They had arrived that morning to discover they had lost their spaces to the bike docking stands that are part of New York's new bike sharing program.
BCNA's 2013 IHW Awards Focussed on Success
BCNA's Third Annual Immigrant Heritage Week Awards event took place on Monday and it was so exciting to see so many friends, clients, partners, and community members in attendance.
First up on the program war the presentation of the annual awards, which recognize both clients who represent the spirit of immigrant initiative as well as partners who have made tremendous contributions to the New York Immigrant Community. We were very pleased and lucky that the Deputy Commissioner and Legal Counsel for the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Matilde Roman - was able to join us this year to present the following awards.
Upcoming Workshops
How to Start and Run a Small Business
Monday June 24 to Wednesday June 26, 2013 - Event Details & Registration
How to Start and Run a Small Business Overview
Thursday June 27, 2013
- Event Details & Registration
See all BCNA Workshops
