TRUFUND FINANCIAL SERVICES CELEBRATES NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AND REMINDS NEW YORK SMALL BUSINESSES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AVAILABLE PROGRAMS

New York, NY – May, 5, 2016 - TruFund Financial Services celebrates National Small Business Week by reminding New York small business owners to take advantage of the Small Business Risk Education (SBRE) program.  The Travelers Companies, Inc. recently awarded TruFund additional grant funding for the SBRE program that targets local small businesses. This is the third grant award that TruFund has received from Travelers for this program.

“We recognize that building the capacity of our small businesses to manage the financial and operational aspects of their companies is just as important as the loan,” said Aisha Benson, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of TruFund’s New York Office. “Although this week is dedicated to our hardworking small business owners, we recognize that they need our support every day.”

In its second year, the SBRE program provides safety risk management education for minority and women-owned small businesses. Travelers has partnered with non profit organizations across the nation to deliver a three-part program that covers: Insurance and Risk Management, One-to-One Consultation, and Microloans.

Businesses that complete the program will have received training, completed a risk management plan and upon completion become eligible to apply for a loan funded by non-profit partners. The non-profit partners, like TruFund Financial Services represent some of the most accomplished small business development and community development financial institutions in the country.

“I am truly grateful for this program and deeply appreciate the training seminar, said John Lewis Brown, a recent participant in TruFund’s technical assistance program. Brown is a lawyer at a local New York City law firm. “The seminar was engaging and provided all of the information that I needed to get started,” Brown added.

With offices in New York, Louisiana and Alabama, TruFund has remained a strong advocate for small business owners over the past two decades. Through TruFund’s various programs and initiatives, the organization has been able to successfully assist hundreds of small businesses in New York alone.  National Small Business Week began on Sunday, May 1, 2016 and will end on Sunday, May 7. During this time, the entire country is encouraged to support local small businesses.

“We recognize that small businesses are the back bone of their local communities,” said James H. Bason, President & CEO of TruFund Financial Services. “National Small Business Week provides us the opportunity to recognize their tireless efforts. Here at TruFund, providing small businesses with the opportunity to grow and create jobs is our top priority.”

 

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About TruFund Financial Services
TruFund Financial Services, Inc. is a wholly independent national non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). TruFund seeks to stimulate economic development in communities that are underserved by traditional banking institutions by providing fair and accessible capital, hands-on technical assistance and innovative solutions to small businesses and nonprofit organization

About Travelers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Travelers has more than 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $25 billion in 2011. The company provides support for charitable organizations in the community through the Travelers Foundation and with corporate funding. The company’s community giving is focused on education, community development and the arts. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.