How a zero-interest loan helped a Black organic farmer put down roots in southern Arizona

Desert Sky Produce in southern Arizona Courtesy of Local First Arizona

When John Benedict drove from Philadelphia to rural southern Arizona five years ago in a van he bought for $1,000 with money saved from eBay sales, he had no intention of becoming a farmer. 

He just knew he wanted to leave city life, and an unfulfilling career in finance, behind.

“I just knew I wanted freedom,” Benedict, 33, said. “I just wanted land and space.”

With the help of the thriving, local agricultural community in Cochise County, Benedict has become the farmer he never thought he’d be, cultivating organic beets, carrots, strawberries, onions, broccoli, cabbage, salad greens, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and more.

And with the help of a novel funding vehicle from Community Investment Corporation, Benedict’s farm, Desert Sky Produce, has been able to grow, turn a profit and inspire him to think bigger.

Community Investment Corporation, a non-profit financial-empowerment organization, is part of Local First Arizona’s AZNavigator, a statewide small-business and entrepreneurship-assistance center. The 10 organizations that comprise AZNavigator provide no-cost assistance to startups and local business owners in Arizona.

“When I moved out here, I was living in a van. It was cold and miserable,” Benedict said, noting he is now organizing a co-op of other small-scale growers. “Without Community Investment Corporation’s funding, this would not even have been remotely possible.”

Simple Conversations Lead To Life-Changing Results

The farming and the funding came together in the most happenstance of ways, beginning with simple conversations. 

On a visit to a local food bank, a local farmer invited Benedict to earn money by helping seed his land. Benedict accepted, and it changed the trajectory of his life.

Organic farmer John Benedict Courtesy of Local First Arizona
Strawberries grown by Desert Sky Produce Courtesy of Local First Arizona

“I never stopped farming, from that moment on,” he said. “It felt like this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.” 

With that anchor in place, Benedict learned while working, made the most of whatever funds came his way — investing in solar panels, water tanks and pumps — and continued creating connections within his rural community.

‘The World Should Be More Economically Available To Everybody’​

Another of Benedict’s connections at the food bank quite literally paid off.

A woman there directed him to Community Investment Corporation, where he learned about a loan fund for entrepreneurs of color that could help him expand his farm.

As a Black farmer with no capital to use as collateral, Benedict embodied the reason the loan fund was created.

Less than 2% of farmers nationwide are African-American, and studies show Black and minority farmers on average receive less access to credit than white farmers.

Brandi Szymanski, the corporations’s rural lending manager, said the fund was created in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement to provide financial opportunities to all kinds of entrepreneurs from underserved communities.

“The world should be more economically available to everybody,” Szymaski said.

Brandi Szymanski Rural Lending Manager

Creative Approaches To Community Funding​

Carrots grown by Desert Sky Produce Courtesy of Local First Arizona

To receive a zero-interest loan up to $10,000 from Community Investment Corporation, applicants are asked to shoot a video of the work they’re doing and what they hope to accomplish with financial support.

Benedict appreciated the creative approach to the funding application because it meant he wouldn’t be dismissed for not coming to the table with years of financial records. 

“I did my application in my field,” he said. “I literally showed them my field of garlic and onions. It felt amazing showing them that I already had the seeds going.”

Paying it forward to the next small business

With the funding in place, Benedict has started a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative to serve a local rehab facility, plans to open a retail space and is partnering with local schools. All of the work is allowing him to realize his goal of providing healthy foods to people who need it most.

Plus Benedict gets to literally pay his loan forward.

“I love knowing that every month when I make my payment that money is going from me to the next farmer and small business owner,” Benedict said. “And if we really talk about equality, there are different ways to level the playing field. One of them is childhood and prenatal nutrition. So, if we can get healthy and organic food to people who can’t afford it, that’s the mission.”

Szymaski, who recently visited Benedict’s farm, said she was impressed with the progress he has made. His success, she said, is exactly why she loves doing the work she does. 

“He’s thriving,” she said, recalling her visit to Benedict’s farm. “This is really social work. It’s lending, but we’re not a bank.”

Greens grown by Desert Sky Produce Courtesy of Local First Arizona

Buy produce from Desert Sky Organic’s new co-op at 9110 N. Highway 191, McNeal, AZ, call (520) 200-0549 or visit www.thelocalcoopaz.com.

Learn more about Community Investment Corporation’s low-interest lending for rural and underserved communities here.

Learn more about AZNavigator’s free assistance for Arizona small businesses here.

Read the original article on Local First Arizona.

Regal Fierce Media Wins BBB Award

Regal Fierce Media team at the 2023 Better Business Bureau Torch Awards

Regal Fierce Media Wins Spark Award from the Better Business Bureau Serving Southern Arizona

Regal Fierce Media team at the 2023 Better Business Bureau Torch Awards

Community Investment Corporation (CIC) is thrilled to announce and celebrate the extraordinary success of Regal Fierce Media as the recipient of the Spark Award from the Better Business Bureau Serving Southern Arizona! The Spark Award recognizes businesses who embody Character, Culture, and Community in their work. Earning this achievement serves as a testament to Regal Fierce Media’s unwavering commitment to providing excellent service to Tucson businesses. 

“Being the 2023 Winners of the Spark Award makes us feel empowered! For us to be recognized as millennial entrepreneurs for our dedication, passion, and creativity to our clients fuels our souls,” said CEO of Regal Fierce Media, Katrina Calderon.

Regal Fierce Media is a Tucson-based media company and advertising agency that Calderon founded in 2019. CIC was able to support Regal Fierce Media through the BIPOC Community Managed Loan Fund.

“CIC’s BIPOC loan played a huge part in our growth,” said Calderon. “They [CIC] helped us with funding when no other bank would. Not only did they look at our financials, but they let us tell our story. We are here today because CIC believed in our vision. With their loan, we upgraded our equipment and reached higher-level clients, leading to our business’s continued growth.”

Calderon’s commitment to giving back to the Tucson community began in her youth. While working at Youth On Their Own (YOTO), Calderon learned how the nonprofit worked to provide dignity and resources to Tucson’s underserved adolescent population. It was this experience that inspired Calderon to use her skills to give back to the community.

It’s no surprise Regal Fierce Media is being recognized for their character. “They are talented and driven, but as importantly, they work with incredible integrity and kindness – qualities too often undervalued in the competitive landscape of business,” said CIC Executive Director Danny Knee.

Receiving the 2023 Spark Award is a full circle moment for Regal Fierce Media. “Last year, when we were event photographers for the BBB Torch Awards, we told ourselves that we would be up there accepting an award one day,” said Calderon. “And here we are, walking the stage as the 2023 Spark Award winners.”

Learn more about Regal Fierce Media and book them for your advertising and media needs at regalfiercemedia.com

Loan Success Story -CRU Trucking

“You run into people willing to help you along the way. CIC it has been fantastic, working with you guys. I recommend that when people have that itch to start something, to move forward.
Even though CIC turned me down initially for the first truck/trailer purchase, they were positive, helpful, and guided me so I could qualify six months later with proven financial history. You were such a blessing.” – Chuck Ugalde, Owner

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Kiva Tucson Making an Impact

The rate that entrepreneurs are starting new businesses in the US has been flat for almost 20 years. While there are many factors, lack of access to capital is a barrier that is difficult for many would-be business owners to overcome. This trend of stagnant new business growth is fueled by the reality that a significant portion of the population – women, people of color and rural entrepreneursface significant hurdles finding funding necessary to start and grow a new business.

This is problematic because entrepreneurs – not big businesses – are fueling all new net job creation (Kaufman, Start Us Up).

“Supporting and expanding entrepreneurship increases jobs, innovation, and productivity.” Wendy Guillies, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. This is going to be crucial for the recovery we face in the wake of the pandemic.

At CIC, we’ve been building platforms to offer more options to entrepreneurs to access capital, in many cases creating the first rung on the capital access ladder for small business owners. 

One such platform we’ve activated in partnership with Growth Partners Arizona and the City of Tucson is Kiva – a community backed lending platform for small business owners, offering 0%, zero fee micro loans from $1,000 – $15,000. Since the launch of Kiva Tucson, 23 local business owners have raised nearly $200,000 in funding to grow and develop their business during one of the toughest times for small business, many of which have been drastically impacted by COVID-19.

Another fascinating statistic that confirms the findings of the Kauffman Foundation, these 23 small businesses have added a total of 44 new jobs since July 2020. 

“Without the loan I was able to raise through Kiva, I would never have been able to further develop my business helping to place nurses in healthcare facilities. I’ve been able to hire 15 healthcare workers who rely on my business to connect them where the need is greatest.” Philemon Prescoss, CEO, 3Twelves.

As a restaurant owner during this time, Gada Ghotmi, owner of Med Cuisine, has known the challenges first hand across many fronts. She and her husband were both hospitalized with COVID-19, but she was determined to build her business back, and with the help of a Kiva loan to provide the funding she needed to restock and hire help, she’s been able to hire 6 people since July 2020. “Kiva was the lifeline we needed. No bank was willing to loan money to a restaurant owner in the middle of the pandemic.”

CIC is committed to continued innovation for entrepreneurs to access the capital needed to build and grow business for the community to accelerate recovery, and ensure the US economy has the fuel it needs to grow sustainably.

CIC is a Copper Cactus Award Finalist

CIC is humbled and honored to be a finalist for the Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards. We were nominated for the Tucson Electric Power Social Impact Award and invite you to join us for the virtual awards event on Oct. 17, 7-8 p.m.

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HFAC Partnership Impact Report

In mid-March, as Arizona began to implement public health and safety measures, our community’s small businesses began a long hard uncharted road that was and is difficult to navigate. The journey continues as COVID-19 mitigations are still a critical part of containing this pandemic, but we at CIC would like to take a quick pause to give incredible thanks to those who helped support our emergency response work in the first few months of this crisis. 

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COVID-19 Emergency Relief Impact Report

In mid-March, as Arizona began to implement public health and safety measures, our community’s small businesses began a long hard uncharted road that was and is difficult to navigate. The journey continues as COVID-19 mitigations are still a critical part of containing this pandemic, but we at CIC would like to take a quick pause to give incredible thanks to those who helped support our emergency response work in the first few months of this crisis. 

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COVID-19 Emergency Loan- Originate Natural Building Materials

“Originate started off 2020 with our 4th best 1st quarter in our 16-year history as a company. Then COVID hit with stay at home orders and our revenue for April and May dropped by almost 50%. That was scary and we were trying to figure out how to navigate uncharted territories. I feel a sense of calm now.” Natasha Winnik, Owner/Founder

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