Lending Library

For Liz Mumford, her passion lies in empowering her Reno, Nevada community by helping local businesses build a strong purpose and vision.

As the co-owner of creative agency Mabble Media, she loves to “engage with our community, learn their stories, and help them figure out how to tell those stories in meaningful ways.” Mabble’s services run the gamut, including logo design, branding, social media, and videography.

Mabble Media has helped elevate local resorts, restaurants, entrepreneurs, and more.

But when COVID-19 came to town, companies needed to close shop, and this greatly impacted Mabble Media’s bottom line. 

“A majority of our clients are brick-and-mortar businesses or are in the hospitality industry, so we had a sharp decline in projects when COVID hit,” says Liz. “If our clients were paused, we were paused. It was an overnight loss of a lot of projects, which meant an overnight loss of income. The loss was steep—comparing February to April, we were down in sales by 73%.” 

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place 

Business trickled in—companies asking to write COVID-19 website copy and social media updates —but not enough to pay the bills.

Still, Liz, along with her co-owner Bobby Stiehler, vowed to continue to pay employees while allowing them time to be with loved ones.

“In one sense, it felt really assuring to put our money where our mouth is; our employees always come first,” says Liz. “And even when things got tough, we put that to the test and came out the other side being able to have integrity in that promise.”

To help pay their staff, the agency  launched a community non-profit project, Wash-oe Hands, to provide short-term assistance for people living in their county. While it kept people employed, it didn’t bring in any money.

“With most of our efforts being directed toward Wash-oe Hands, we knew that our savings were dwindling and we needed some assistance in paying our team, says Liz.

PPP Helps Get Creative Juices Flowing Once Again

Mabble Media had never sought outside financial assistance, so the thought of doing so terrified Liz. But the company needed it to get through the pandemic.

“The first few days felt like all we could do was watch the news and had no control of real tangible steps,” says Liz. So, she spent several days talking to other business owners, friends that were loan officers, lawyers, accountants, CPAs, and anyone that could help. 

“After exhausting all of our networks, a friend told us about Lendio. Within 24 hours not only did we have our first email responded to, but we were on the phone with a real person,” says Liz. “Our PPP Loan was being processed with Lendio’s help even before our bank had announced that they could start receiving applications.”

The money ensured Mabble Media didn’t have to lay off employees and could get back to helping the community.

“We offered no money down to clients who needed it on their projects and found ways to help other clients evolve during the quarantine,” says Liz. “We felt compelled to not be the sole beneficiary of our quickly processed loan, but to pay it forward and make sure that we were carrying the burden of others who didn’t have the same luck.”

Grant Money Provides Extra Boost 

Besides getting a PPP loan through Lendio, Mabble Media applied to receive a Lendio Small Business Grant and received $10,000.

“We were stoked!” says Liz after finding out Mabble had won. “It’s been a hard year, it was nice to take a moment and reflect on all that we have accomplished during COVID and the generosity that Lendio has had with this grant.”

She added, “Our grant money means that we can keep coming to work, paying our bills, and taking care of our families. It also means that we can get a little jump start on paying back the first loans that we have ever had in our history as a company.”

The money will also go toward supporting the Wash-oe Hands Relief fund for the community during the upcoming months.

“Our client projects are picking back up, but we are thankful to get this cushion, so that we can also cushion things for some of our clients who haven’t been so lucky,” says Liz.

In 2007, Jonathan Darr and his business partners aptly named their full-service catering company Love Catering.“We all share a passion for food and bringing people together. Food is not just a necessity, it’s a celebration, a shared experience, and an opportunity for people to come together,” he says. “Feeding people has always been our biggest passion.”

Now in its 13th year, the company has not only given back to the local Los Angeles community with programs like Chefs to End Hunger, but it has also built up a reputation for its sustainable practices, helping attract clients like JP Morgan Private Bank, Disney Animation, and Milk Studios.

This year the company was preparing for its busiest spring ever, with several large gala events on the books, including one that was very near and dear to their hearts—the annual Conservation International gala.

But when Covid-19 hit, wreaking havoc on the hospitality industry, Love Catering’s plans took a huge nosedive.

“When the outbreak started we saw all our events cancel one by one until we had a total cessation of all business activity,” says Jonathan. “Literally everything stopped within a few days of stay at home order for Los Angeles. In over 20 years in this industry I’ve never seen anything like this.” 

In order to survive during these unprecedented times, Love Catering had to make changes—and quickly.

Rethinking the world of food catering

“We immediately pivoted our business model and in about a week we created a new home meal delivery program and a new website to process orders,” says Jonathan.

The company also began investing more of its time and energy into production catering offerings, so when business resumed (which it did in June), the team would be ready to go with new items and enhanced safety protocols.

But despite these pivots, Love Catering, a labor-intensive business, was losing money. Before the pandemic hit, there were 40 full-time employees; at the worst point, there were only four on payroll.

Getting a lifeline with PPP

“We applied for PPP funding so that we could keep our staff and make sure everyone had the resources they needed to survive,” says Jonathan. “We also needed help covering our rent and utilities.”

Initially, the team at Love Catering sought funding from its corporate bank, but found this to be a “maddening process.” So when the SBA announced a second round of funding, Jonathan turned to Lendio.

“It was so easy to complete our application online and to upload documents,” he says. “When I had questions, I could call and actually get a real person on the line very easily. I was very impressed by their efficiency and the simplicity of the process.”

The funds helped bring back 11 people full time.  

Giving back with grant money

During the pandemic, Love Catering played an active role serving the community. 

“We provided meals to our staff that we had to lay off and worked with our city councilperson’s office to set up a give away for anyone in need in our neighborhood,” says Jonathan. “We also started donating food to frontline healthcare workers at local hospitals. We also doubled down on our commitment to our partner, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.” 

After being awarded a $10,000 Lendio Small Business Grant, the company has not only used the money for its own needs, but also to continue giving back.

“We work hard to take care of our clients, our team, and our community, and we are so grateful for the recognition and financial reward,” says Jonathan. “It allows us to continue to give back and also get caught up after a very difficult period. I know many people have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, but those of us in the hospitality industry have taken a significant hit. I hope that this is the beginning of a longer-term turnaround for us.”

For adults living with disabilities, support, a sense of belonging, and independence are extremely important.

“The ability to enjoy a vibrant social life, to be an active part of the community, to be connected to others in the world is significant to our community,” says Hailey Myers, the development director at Imagine Possibilities, a nonprofit day center in Aloha, Oregon, for youth and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

When the center had to close its doors due to COVID-19, it was devastating for those who regularly attended to enjoy activities like art, music therapy, yoga, and community engagement. But it was the right thing to do.

“Out of concern for the safety of our participants, some of whom are medically fragile, we ceased in-person services at our center,” says Hailey.

Shutting Its Doors, Opening Up Its Virtual Day Center

With a group of people, along with their families, relying so heavily on Imagine Possibilities, the nonprofit needed to create new, sustainable ways to serve them.

“We developed virtual programming—holding music therapy and yoga therapy via video so participants could enjoy their favorite group activities and see their friends and staff, all in a safe, virtual format,” says Hailey, adding that it, “brought a bit of normalcy back to the daily schedules of our participants as they remain in quarantine for their safety.”

But the pandemic created other challenges.

Turning to PPP for Virtual Enrichment

Economic uncertainty amid the pandemic slowed down community support and donations. Hailey and her team had to turn to other outlets to help keep Imagine Possibilities’ mission alive. They worked with Lendio to get a PPP loan.

“Lendio took us seamlessly through the PPP application process,” says Hailey. “Because of their efforts we have preserved jobs for 18 dedicated staff who are providing services to some of our society’s most vulnerable individuals at a time of crisis.”

“It is also aiding us in providing therapeutic virtual services and one-on-one services to those most in need, at no extra cost,” she added. “Our social work team is also providing mental health services to participants and families, and we are doing everything in our power to make sure nobody slips through the cracks.”

A Little Extra Gift from Lendio

Besides providing PPP assistance, Lendio also awarded Imagine Possibilities a Lendio Small Business Grant to further help the nonprofit through its financial struggles.

“When we found out that Lendio was supporting our center with a $10,000 grant, we were overcome with both joy and gratitude,” says Hailey. “It’s difficult to express how much it means to receive support like this … like many other nonprofits and small businesses we know that at this moment we are uniquely dependent on community support.”

The grant money along with the PPP will be used to preserve the Direct Support Professionals’ jobs—one of the organization’s greatest strengths.

“Some of our incredible Direct Support Professionals have spent decades developing relationships with our participants and families. They help our participants enjoy their hobbies, enjoy a full social life, and engage actively with the greater community,” says Hailey. “They support our participants in navigating complex social situations, in managing stress and other difficult emotions, in communicating their feelings and wishes, and in pursuing their personal goals. They empower our participants to live life fully, happily, and as independently as possible.”

She added, “It’s an incredible relief to know that we have community partners like Lendio in our corner who believe that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve to experience the highest quality of life possible … especially through these challenging times.”

Since 2012, Brighter Future Charity’s goal has been to provide those on the autism spectrum with lifelong assistance and aid to foster inclusion in the community. Hosting in-person events, like art fairs, field trips, and community outings, along with social and professional coaching, Brighter Future provides a sense of independence and empowerment to its participants. But for the Los Angeles-based non-profit, the dream has always been to serve those in need beyond the local community. 

When COVID-19 hit, the group was forced to halt its in-person gatherings—but there’s a silver lining, thanks to some financial support in the form of a small business grant.

A Powerful Pivot

Due to the global pandemic, not only were the organization’s fundraising events put on hold (meaning a lot of its financial support has disappeared), the non-profit was also unable to adequately serve its participants.

“COVID-19 greatly impacted Brighter Future because we rely on social gatherings and events in the public, but when it hit, we were unable to function at the same capacity and provide support to individuals,” says Monique Sandoval, the fundraising and clinical director of Brighter Future. The organization had to quickly make a change to provide the same aid and support to participants and their families, while ensuring everyone is safe.

The team decided to quickly pivot to an online program, allowing them to continue providing social development skills to those on the autism spectrum.

Enter Brighter Friendships

Called Brighter Friendships, the online program allows those on the autism spectrum to continue to develop their social skills in the safety of their own home. Participants check the Brighter Future Instagram page for a daily challenge that provides rewards to those who complete it. 

For instance, participants may be asked to post a photo of a friend or loved one they can’t see because of the pandemic and write a few sentences about what friendship means. Then, they jump on a Zoom meeting with Monique and others participating in the challenge to talk about it, provide support, and get guidance. And if permissible, they meet up in person to further discuss the challenges. This change has allowed Brighter Future to go beyond serving the Los Angeles community, as anyone, anywhere can be part of the challenges.

 “COVID for us really helped us grow, helping impact more individuals than we were currently able to,” says Monique. “If it weren’t for COVID, I don’t know if we would have pivoted in that direction—maybe one day, but we had to do it a lot sooner than wanted. It has helped us greatly.”

Now, Brighter Future is looking to go international.

To expand its services, though, the charity needed financial assistance.

Turning to Lendio for a Paycheck Protection Program Loan

Unable to rely on its in-person fundraising events to help cover costs, the team needed help for payroll and launching the online platform, Brighter Friendships.

“Lendio had popped up a few times within my network, and so I applied with them immediately,” says Monique. “They were amazing. Any question I had, our representative answered it immediately, and never made me feel like I was asking a dumb question or incompetent in any way.”

She added, “If it weren’t for them, I don’t think we would have received funding, because in the beginning, a lot of nonprofits that applied didn’t get funded.”

An Extra Bonus from Lendio

Monique applied for a Lendio Small Business Grant in hopes of being awarded extra money for Brighter Future. When she learned her organization won $10,000, she was ecstatic.

“I was with my fiancé at home and they called me to let me know,” says Monique. “I was extremely emotional; I started crying immediately. It was truly something magical.” 

The money has allowed Brighter Future to have an in-person social event with participants, which involved heading to the beach for an awesome water balloon fight that was a release for those cooped up at home.

“We were able to film it to create our campaign for our next fundraiser, because we learned that we may not have an in-person fundraiser in the near future. We are looking into doing a virtual fundraiser,” says Monique.

Now, Brighter Future has its eyes on the entire world.

“We learned from the online program how successful we are,” says Monique. “We want to go international and be available to any individual around the world, providing support and inclusion and connecting them to other individuals around the world.”