One thing that happens after Labor Day is that there is a crescendo of activities and momentum building toward the end of the year. At the Fund, some of our experience of that velocity is because of our clients and their entrepreneurship across sectors and across our community. And, as we expand our programs to West Seattle, where Link light rail is imposing challenges upon individuals and businesses, we are busy proving there what we proved together here, with you – that communities that work together and help each other can overcome anything.
A trip to Washington, D.C., that several team members of the Fund joined would be in the rearview mirror if it wasn’t so significant. On October, with an alliance of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) like ours from across the country, we went to the other Washington to advocate for ongoing support from Congress for the Community Development Financial Institution Fund. The CDFI Fund is a Department of the U.S. Treasury that was threatened with elimination by administration policies. Together with CDFIs like ours, we stood together to fight for communities nationwide who have been underserved and overlooked by traditional financial institutions and in support by mission-driven lenders, like us, and their donors and supporters who are working to mend gaps in access to capital that too many people face.
The Rainier Valley Community Development Fund (RVCDF) mission is to promote community development and economic opportunity through responsible lending to people who have traditionally been unable to access credit. We are committed to mission-driven lending as the foundation of our work. Traveling to D.C. to meet with people who are influential to lawmaking at the federal level is a critical aspect of ensuring that the people we serve have a voice with the people who are supposed to serve us.
Robert Williams, part of the RVCDF delegation, met with Congressional staff from Senator Murray and Cantwell’s offices, Representative DelBene’s office and key staff from the office of Representative Gluesenkamp Perez. Even though the government shutdown was just underway, we were able to have in-depth conversations about the critical impacts that CDFIs like ours have in rural and urban communities alike. Background information that we have developed specific to RVCDF’s origin – including economic impact data – was provide to everyone who we met. We also had the opportunity to see firsthand some of the project collaborations supported by CDFIs that included multi-use development combining affordable housing, schools and community centers, among other people-centered programs in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Given the fractured nature of national politics, it is easy to believe that no one is listening, and no one cares about real people with real problems in neighborhoods just like ours. We are proud to share that that wasn’t our experience on this trip. We met with Congressional staff who were interested, engaged, listening and eager to know more about our work. We were inspired by our peers from other places and were able to validate our work – meaning YOUR DREAMS – is reflected in many other places beyond the Rainier Valley. An example of a project is the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC). The project was a join effort of 7 non-profit organizations to provides residents East of the Anacostia River access to the best-in-class facilities, programs and partnerships in arts and culture, economic opportunity, education, recreation, health and well-being. Through this partnership THEARC houses a two separate single gender schools, a boys and girls club, a ballot studio, instrumental music classroom, a food pantry, and performing arts theater.
We hope you take the chance to stay connected with us and to stay inspired by your neighbors that we work with by spending the holidays patronizing in community. In the meantime, if you want to do your part with Washington’s Congressional delegation to support the CDFI Fund, use this link to identify your Member of Congress and let them know the importance of CDFIs are important you and your community.