"I used Lendio in the past for a P.P.P. Loan during Covid, which was a really scary time for everybody. Their customer service representatives really helped me through the process."

— LYNN SIMPSON, OWNER

"You know when you're in the right frame of mind and you have great energy, you just feel like you can do anything…"

— DEANNA NUNEZ, OWNER

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.”

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.”