MAF Says Goodbye to Founding Board Members
After years of guidance, MAF would like to say thank you to the three founding board members who will be leaving in 2015.
As we welcome the new year, we’d like to take a moment to recognize our outstanding Board of Directors – seven amazing people who provide the vision and wisdom for our work. It’s with bittersweet emotions that we say goodbye to three founding board members: Board Chair Anamaria Loya, Secretary Santiago (Sam) Ruiz, Member Oscar Grande.
Through their guidance over the years, we were able to turn what was born in the Mission into a program that is flourishing across the country, helping thousands of families build brighter financial futures.
Nearly 10 years ago, these three leaders joined a volunteer committee tasked with an exciting opportunity: Investing $1 million from the sale of a Levi Strauss factory to benefit the Mission District.
Where others may have seen the funding as a chance to bolster existing organizations, Anamaria,Oscar, and Sam believed in doing something different.
They dared to envision the possibility of an entirely new organization built by the community out of their ideas and concerns.
After months of interviewing, meeting and having conversations with community members, the idea for Mission Asset Fund began to surface. Thanks to their efforts, the need for an organization dedicated to building credit and creating pathways out of the financial shadows was discovered.
Anamaria, Sam and Oscar provided invaluable insight and leadership. MAF would not be what it is today if not for their dedication and vision.