Eric joined Pathways to Apprenticeship to realize his ambition of becoming an electrician. Through a unique partnership between Centerstate CEO, the Community Center Collaborative, and other local agencies, Pathways provides training, apprenticeships, and wrap-around support to help people like Eric launch careers in construction trades. “They have perks and benefits to help you get on your feet,” Eric says, “and it’s hands-on. That’s my learning style.” As a Pathways graduate, Eric was able to access the Vehicles to Work Loan Fund at Cooperative Federal. “Coop Fed was the only institution willing to take a risk on me, because of stuff in my past on my credit report,” Eric explained. “But now I’m paying attention to my credit, and building it up so that in a few years I’ll be able to get a newer car and hopefully buy a house.” Eric used to imagine moving away from Syracuse and finding a fresh start. “Now,” he says, “I’m kind of in a good place here.”

Melissa used to own a home with her late husband, but she downsized to an apartment after he passed away. A few years later she was tired of paying high rents – and ready to build something of her own. That’s when a friend told her about the Homebuyer Dream Program at Coop Fed. “My housing counselor helped me to get my credit in order and understand the home-buying process. They were with me every step of the way.” Today, her monthly mortgage payment is $300 less than what she was paying in rent, and she’s building equity for the future. This process “got me my first house on my own, of which I am very proud. I sit here every day and think – this is MINE.”

Manila was a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur when COVID-19 hit the city, ultimately causing him to move back home to Syracuse. Born and raised on the North Side in a family of Laotian refugees, he returned to his roots determined to continue his path as a business owner - while also having a positive impact on the community. Recognizing both need and opportunity in the rental housing market, he formed Makrut Properties with a special focus: “offering dignified and safe housing for refugees and immigrants on the North Side.” “When I drive or ride my bike through the North Side,” he says, “I see homes that have been destroyed by poverty and neglect. Landlords have turned slumlords, and care more about collecting rent, while homes are left uncared for and the dignity of the community deteriorates. Safe and affordable housing is the foundation from which all other success grows.”

When Karen Jones launched EcoElectrical Solutions LLC, she was turned away by 10 different lenders before she found out about our credit union. “When I dealt with Cooperative Federal, they were the first institution to actually follow through,” she says. Through Coop Fed’s Business Opportunity Fund, she was approved for a working capital loan as well as another loan to buy a van for her business. Now, Karen’s business is flourishing with many new contracts coming her way – including one from our credit union. She was the electrical contractor for our new office on Erie Boulevard.

Harold had been living in his Hawley Green neighborhood home for years when the owner fell behind on property taxes and the house went into tax foreclosure. He and his partner, Lena, were faced with moving their family—a disastrous situation given that the home had been extensively adapted to be accessible for Lena’s adult daughter. “A lot of effort went into getting Lena’s daughter set up,” Harold says. “We didn’t know what we were going to do if we had to move.” That’s when a friend told him about Coop Fed. Harold enrolled in our Housing Counseling program, made an action plan, and was approved for not only a mortgage but a Homebuyer Dream grant. With support and guidance from Coop Fed, he successfully purchased the property and preserved his family home. Now, he’s the one telling his friends to call our credit union. “They ran through everything; told us what was going to happen,” Harold says. “Everybody at that place helped me out so much.”

“Entrepreneurship is something that always intrigued me,” says Geovahnie, who grew up watching his uncles run a contracting business in Syracuse. “They inspired me to want to build something.” While still working his day job as an elevator technician, he cofounded Mt. Vernon Roots, a contractor that specializes in “apartment prepping.” Before long, he secured a contract with a major housing agency and needed a microloan to help his venture grow. But when Geovahnie began looking for funding, he was turned down by three different lenders. “They were heavily depending on personal credit, and my score wasn’t high enough,” he says. That’s when a business advisor at the South Side Innovation Center told Geovahnie about Coop Fed’s Business Opportunity Fund, an innovative program that provides flexible loans together with hands-on advising. He received the funding he needed, and now it’s onward and upward for this motivated entrepreneur.