The world has changed plenty since 1973 when MEDA started its mission of asset building for the low-income Latino community in San Francisco, but one thing has remained the same: the need to offer a helping hand to those looking to achieve family economic success. Such success is designed in many ways, so MEDA has…
Signing on the dotted line yesterday afternoon, a local catering business had its small-business loan officially funded … and their bigger entrepreneurial dreams made a reality. All courtesy of a $100,000 loan from MEDA’s innovative Adelante Fund. One story to showcase community need When Alicia Villanueva (photo, center) came to this country from Mexico a decade…
Back in his native Peru, Yeral Caldas’ industrious mother was always running her own businesses in Lima, which varied based on market demand. Sometimes she would sell vegetables; other times she would bring items down from the Highlands and sell them in bulk. Then there was Yeral’s father, who ran a restaurant where he served…
After just five years, MEDA now runs the largest free tax preparation program in San Francisco. While things are super busy during the first part of the year, with everyone trying to meet the April 15th filing deadline, there are still plenty of clients coming through the doors of Plaza Adelante, the Mission neighborhood center,…
Through my time at the Mission Techies program, I was able to greatly expand my knowledge regarding technology. Before coming to MEDA, I knew very little about technology and would have a mini-freakout moment whenever our home technology would have problems because I didn’t know what to do. Through this free program, I believe I am…
Fidgeting. Hair twirling. Foot tapping. Yes, there was an air of nervous anticipation in the air yesterday afternoon at the LGBT Community Center in San Francisco, as the lottery was conducted for below-market-rate (BMR) units at 1400 Mission, a 100 percent affordable-housing development. There were 167 residences for 355 hopeful lottery entrants for these brand-new…
Ana is at Yerba Buena Alliance planning an event for 2,500 attendees. Demetrios is at Luminalt soaking up knowledge at this solar panel company. Christian spends his summer days surfing, as in gaining web marketing expertise at ROI-DNA. Yes, summer 2015 means getting much-needed employment experience. This contrasts the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of…
Hector Ayala is a friendly, dignified 82-year-old Mission resident who likes the feel of a paintbrush in his hand. Now, we’re not talking slapping a new coat of paint on houses: Hector has been painting San Francisco street scenes for years in his rental space on San Carlos Street. All was fine until 2007, when a…
Eric Mendez was ready to start his life anew. The young man came back to San Francisco after having paid his dues by being incarcerated for several years. One of the first things Eric noticed was that his five-year-old son was not doing well academically. This compelled Eric to immediately pursue full custody of the boy,…
Background Since 2010, MEDA has been providing free tax preparation to the low- and moderate-income Mission community. This is done via the federal government’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free services to those who make under $53,000, persons with disabilities, the elderly and taxpayers with limited English-language skills. The numbers This tax…
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