Dear members, supporters and partners,
2023 was an active year at Self-Help. Our members, borrowers and partners faced tough challenges, like rising interest rates, high home prices and political division — and they also accomplished amazing things. This year, as always, it was our privilege to play a role in their stories.
As I reflect on 2023, I’m reminded of the principles on which Self-Help was founded over 43 years ago: a deep belief in justice, economic opportunity, and the power of community self-determination.
In those early days, we envisioned Self-Help as an entity that would provide access to key financial resources, helping people to help themselves (hence our name), and in the process, helping to change unjust economic and financial systems.
Here are a few highlights of 2023:
We provided nearly $360 million in financing, 84% of it to low-income borrowers and 52% to underserved areas.
We continued to expand our clean energy lending, and we prepared for a huge undertaking in 2024: expanding equitable access to clean energy as part of Climate United.
We made nearly 10,000 consumer loans, helping everyday members access fair and affordable financing and avoid high-cost and often predatory options.
We increased our home lending, serving 517 new homeowners, with a special focus on first-generation homebuyers.
We made $88 million in loans to businesses and community institutions and worked with partners to build high-quality affordable housing.