An Ascendus Loan Keeps Reina’s Goals on Track

Reina’s daycare has had a life-changing effect on her community and her family. “Early on, my husband had to stop working in his field due to an injury. We ran the daycare together, and it fully supported our family of four. We used the money to send both my sons to school, and we sent my oldest son to school all the way through his master’s program. We also saved up enough to finally have the downpayment for a house.”

In all the years she had been running her daycare, Reina had never taken out a loan. But it came to a point where updates were necessary. “I needed to modify the space for new materials and equipment. I wanted the children to have the best access and learning opportunities. To remain competitive, it required renovating.” Reina reached out to Ascendus and received a $25,000 loan from Ascendus. “I used the loan to create dedicated learning stations and to implement learning programs for students who need special care.” Without an Ascendus loan, Reina would have had to dip into her savings, and purchasing a house would have been delayed. “Because of the loan, we could do both – update our business and still support our home. Thank you Ascendus, for being magnificent.”

FINDING SUPPORT THROUGH A NEW COMMUNITY

When Reina arrived in the United States from Honduras, she found herself alone in a strange country, unable to speak the language, and with no job to support herself. “I didn’t have any family in the USA, and I didn’t have a support system to help me with my childcare. I needed something that would provide me with an income and let me take care of my son at the same time.” Reina leaned on the support of the growing Hispanic community in Boston and found a job as an assistant in a daycare. Her son accompanied her to her job, allowing her to balance working and being a mother. “It was an amazing help to have him there and not worry about the costs of having to pay someone else to watch him while I worked. But it became too hard for him to travel.”

Reina soon opened her own daycare and became a staple in her Boston community. Over the years, Reina grew her capacity to ten children, the maximum amount allowed for a home-based daycare in Boston. “I still stay connected with all my kids. The first kids I looked after are in college now, and they still send me cards and stop by to check on me. Running my daycare has helped me support my community and my family, and has been my passion.”

To learn more about Reina, visit: https://www.tocar-aprender.com/