Sylvia Walker, NAIWBE, Jacksonville, FL >
Accion East rebrands to “Ascendus” in pursuit of bold new vision of financial ascension for all
NEW YORK, NY – In reflecting on today’s times and assessing the economic progress achieved in the U.S. over the past thirty years, the organization concluded it was time to embrace a bolder vision for the future. The new vision was based on the evidence that financial inclusion alone was no longer enough; instead, the organization decided to aim higher by creating a world of financial ascension for all.
The bold new vision inspired its new name, “Ascendus.” The name stems from the word “ascend,” which means to rise, combined with the word “us,” which reflects the belief in collective and collaborative action to truly empower entrepreneurs and improve lives.
To achieve its new vision, Ascendus will remain focused on serving people in places that need it most, because unfortunately, opportunity is not equally distributed.
“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed but did not cause the pre-existing challenges faced by our clients. It is now abundantly clear that the pursuit of financial inclusion has not worked and that for transformative change in our lifetime, we needed to aim our higher by seeking a vision of creating a world of financial ascension for everyone, ” said Paul Quintero, CEO of Ascendus.
The future of Ascendus will be guided by four key themes, including:
Ascendus is a national nonprofit lender that for almost thirty years has empowered over 23,000 low- to moderate income business owners through access to capital and business support.
About Ascendus
Ascendus is a nonprofit small business lender whose vision is the creation of financial ascension for all, achieved by empowering low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs through access to capital and business support. Since 1991, Ascendus has provided more than $211 million to over 23,600 small businesses owners across the country. For more information visit www.ascendus.org.