Walking into a Starbucks recently, I went up to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate. While waiting to pay, I noticed Starbucks had “something” they were selling on the counter so I picked it up to take a look.
It’s a “band” that you can purchase for a minimum of $5. The $5 (or any amount you wish to give) is a donation (tax deductible) of which 100% goes to the Opportunity Finance Network “to create and sustain jobs in communities across America.”
Pretty cool, huh? I’m not a band wearer but contributed to this wonderful project. I believe it’s going to be Americans who help Americans get out of this mess that America is in. The band is American made and has the words “indivisible” written across it.
One can also make a donation at createjobsforUSA.org.
I’m highly sceptical. Your giving money to a bank to loan it out to small businesses. The same banks that the Federal Government gave tons of money to loan out to homeowners to help them, and very few homeowners have benefited because the banks are too tight fisted to loan it.
I’d direct you to this website to read more http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/01/smallbusiness/starbucks_jobs/index.htm.
I think with a large company like Starbucks behind it there is much less potential for corruption although it is not an impossibility. Nothing is. This has been done before and even internationally with success. With the international one, you are able to look at the people who are trying to start businesses and select the one(s) that you’re interested in. They give an amount they are trying to raise and people give towards that amount. There have been many success stories and people come away with the satisfaction of helping someone they actually know.