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SOSTENICA's Investors and Donors afford Nicaraguan producers
the opportunity to improve the quality of life for themselves, their
families and their communities.
Investors lend funds to SOSTENICA, Inc. for periods
of between 2 and 10 years. SOSTENICA pays investors a nominal rate
of interest (see Investor Registration Form for specific details).
These funds are, in turn, loaned to CEPRODEL to help fund both the
urban and the rural Credit Programs.
Donations to SOSTENICA finance: 1) technical assistance to farmers
in the Sustainable Rural Development Program and 2) SOSTENICA's
equity in the credit programs. SOSTENICA pledges to maintain its
equity share in the fund at 10% of the borrowed portion of its Nicaragua
portfolio. This equity policy provides investors additional protection
from loan loss.
For 2008 SOSTENICA wants to enroll 63new farm families into the
Sustainable Rural Development program. To accomplish this goal,
SOSTENICA needs to acquire the following funds.
| Investments |
$ 250,000 |
| Donations for Technical Assistance |
$ 28,000 |
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Nicaragua has lost two American
angels this year - Dorothy Wright (1923-2007) and John
Brentlinger (1935-2007). Dorothy was, perhaps, more patron saint
than angel. During the last quarter century she took up a number
of philanthropic causes, ranging from child health to the performing
arts and agricultural education. She championed the cause of
Nicaragua, and specifically the work of SOSTENICA from its very
inception. Dorothy was SOSTENICA's first major investor, investing
$10,000 long before SOSTENICA was even incorporated. Then, when
it came time to move from an experiment to a permanent and independent
non-profit, Dorothy risked more than $250,000 in the form of
a one-year loan to get the project off the ground. Over the
years, Dorothy did more than just invest and lend. She supported
the technical assistance portion of the Sustainable Rural Development
Program with donations totaling almost $200,000. Dorothy Wright
- PRESENTE! |
| John Brentlinger taught
philosophy at the University of Massachusets, while in his spare
time played jazz trumpet, enjoyed photography, and was a serious
political activist. In Nicaragua, John found "sacred places
and events created by people in an unselfconscious, communal
process of self-definition" and in those places and with those
people, John felt a deep and loving solidarity. His interest
in Nicaragua blossomed into a committed life-long love affair,
particularly with the community of artists and artisans of Solentiname.
In 1999 he founded an NGO, the Solentiname Friendship Group
of Western Massachusetts which works to promote education, healthcare,
sustainable agriculture, alternative energy, and eco-tourism.
His book, The Best of What We Are: Reflections on the Nicaraguan
Revolution is based on John's experiences in Nicaragua over
a period of more than 20 years. John organized and curated Solentiname
art exhibits throughout the United States, with all proceeds
benefiting the NGO. John was also a SOSTENICA investor. John
Brentlinger - PRESENTE! |
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Investors as of December 31, 2006
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Shelly Altman
Judith & Denis Asselin
David Bechtel & Kirstin Bechtel
Gerard Bernacchia
Cheryle Oshman Blunt
Susan Bramhall
Brien Brennan
John Brentlinger
Joan Buccino
Russell Cooper
Eliezer Cruz
David Duffner
James Farnam & Marcy Stovall
Francis & Claire Gace
Nancy Geist
Elizabeth Gibbs
Karla Gilmore
Kathleen Gladstone
Edward Grogan
Peter Guarino
Hildegarde Hannum
Elizabeth Hubbard
Barbara Hudgins
Julien Jarreau & Kelley Connors
Peter Jessop & Maureen Humpage |
Merrily Kaplan
Ann & David Kaseman
Peter Kircher
Jennifer Landry
George Lindsay
Mary Lindsay
Henry Lowendorf
Eifiona Main
Michael & Nancy McGuire
Arthur Miller Jr.
Jonathan Kemper Ogle &
Heather Ruth Gosse
Owen Owens
Ray Pagliaro
Alice de V. Perry
Vicky Peterson
Jay Pressman & Madeline Frankel
Beth Roth
Jon Sabrowski
Matthew Schreiber
Janet Bailey Schroeder
Richard Schulz
Anna Scodel
Ruth Scodel
Gary Sevitsky
Robert Silvan
Nathaniel Smith
Frank Sprole
Diane & G. Barnes Stevenson Frederick Struckmeyer
Susan Power Trucksess |
Maria Tupper
Lacey Watkins
John Weygandt
Joan Whitney
Alan Wright
Dorothy Wright
Nora Wright
Justin Wright
Anonymous
Adorers of the Blood of Christ
Adrian Dominican Sisters
Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration
Catholic Health Initiatives
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes Norwalk/Nagarote
SCP
Partners for the Common Good
Seton Enablement Fund
Sisters of Saint Francis
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth Sisters of Charity
of New York
Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother SosteNica, Inc.
St. John's Church
St. John's Presbyterian Church Talmadge Hill Community
Church
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2006 Donors
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Shelly Altman
Judith Asselin
Susan Bramhall
Brien Brennan
John Brentlinger
David Duffner
James Farnam
Francis & Claire Gace
Peter Guarino
Henry Gundling
James & Sally Hammerman
Hildegarde Hannum
Maria Heller
Peter Jessop
Merrily Kaplan
Jennifer Landry
Janice Larit
Dorothy & Frank LeBar
George Lindsay
Mary Lindsay |
Richard MacIntyre
Eifiona Main
Felicity McGrath
Arthur Miller Jr.
Michael Murphy
Rachel, Stacie & Keith Newman
Patty Nuelsen
Jonathan Kemper Ogle
Owen Owens
Ray Pagliaro
Alice de V. Perry
Vicky Peterson
Jay Pressman
Beth Roth
Mark Schonbeck
Richard Schulz
Ruth Scodel
Gary Sevitsky
Nathaniel Smith
Charles Sommerfield
Frank Sprole
Jane & Alexander Stevens |
Diane Stevenson
Frederick Struckmeyer
Robert Trafford
Susan Power Trucksess
Maria Tupper
John Weygandt
Barbara & Barton Whitman
Joan Whitney
Betram Wolfson
Alan Wright
Dorothy Wright
Murray Wright
Adorers of the Blood of Christ Benedictine Convent
of Perpetual Adoration
Catholic Health Initiatives
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes Seton Enablement
Fund
Sisters of Saint Francis
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth Sisters of the
Sorrowful Mother
St. John's Presbyterian Church Wachovia Bank
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Frank Keene's 7th Grade Social Studies
Students Middlesex Middle School Darien CT
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1st Period
Jack Bair
Greta Baresich
Ryan Barthold
Robin Bone
Kai Hua Cai
Thomas Carruthers
William DeRocco
Dillion Duncan
Henry Glick
Caroline Kearney
Kelly Keating
Gregory Leeker
Olivia Markham
William Pfeiffer
Daniel Rizzuto
Rhiannon Ross
Kevin Steinthal
Kathryn Witschi
4th Period
Jim Anderson
Margaret Annechino
Briton Dailey
Hannah Halstrom
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Dirk Heideklang
Amanda Hutter
Jared Kindy
Cameron Luttrell
Natalie Metz
Aastha Narula
Tiana Noujaim
Emily Olsen
Fernando Rodriguez- Barberet
Chiaki Soejima
Sarah Terhune
Madison Vessels
Alice Wang
6th Period
Megan Archey
John Baker
Ari Balian
Catherine Bartone
Lillian Cassidy
Brynn Gasparino
Max Gunn
John Keane
Colleen Large
Jonathan Magnusson
Ryan Minion
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Carlin Renaud
William Siemers
Nicholas Sullivan
Daniel Trompeter
7th Period
David Colon
Jamie Condolora
Meighan Grady
Lindsey Hartfelder
Jordyn Keegan
Kevin Koenitzer
Tyler LaVecchia
Danielle LeBlanc
Matthew Lee
Geoffrey Leeker
Susanna Miesel
Michael Palmer
Scott Plank
Kate Shannon
Katherine Southworth
Brian Sullivan
Addison Thalhamer
Elizabeth Van Ingen
Mitchell Wisinski
Ellen Zamsky
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Investors Interviewed in our
2006 Fall Update
CATHOLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES
Jennifer Neppel is the Director of Cash and Investments
for Catholic Health Initiatives
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SN: What does Socially Responsible
Investing (SRI) mean to your organization?
CHI: "Catholic Health Initiatives participates in socially
responsible investing through its Direct Community Investment
(DCI) Program. The DCI Program was established to support the
mission and vision of Catholic Health Initiatives. As the second
largest not-for-profit health care system in the U.S., one focus
of our mission is to create new ministries which promote healthy
communities, now and into the future. Direct community investments
are one way Catholic Health Initiatives fulfills that vision."
SN: Why did CHI choose to invest in SosteNica from among
the many SRI opportunities available?
CHI: "Catholic Health Initiatives chose to invest in
SOSTENICA due to its ability to positively impact the lives
of people living in Nicaragua. SOSTENICA was selected as an
organization that fulfills a very important social need with
its ability to loan funds to small businesses and low income
families. Through Catholic Health Initiatives' investment of
$100,000, we were confident that SOSTENICA would efficiently
utilize these funds to positively impact the lives of people
living in Nicaragua."
SN: What have you liked about your experience with SOSTENICA?
CHI: 'We have had a very positive experience with SOSTENICA
knowing that over 244 (rural farm) families have benefited from
the work of the organization. SOSTENICA's focus on the poor
of Nicaragua by teaching them new skills will have a favorable
impact on many future generations. The mission of SOSTENICA
assists Catholic Health Initiatives in attaining its goals of
promoting healthy communities.' |
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SN: What do you think of when you hear the term Socially
Responsible Investing (SRI?
GL: "Primarily, it is the opportunity to put some
of our money to work in ways that we believe will contribute
to the overall health of the planet and its peoples. We are
looking for win/win/win investments - we gain while contributing
to a safer, saner environment and a stronger, healthier society."
SN: Why led you to invest in SOSTENICA, given the many
SRI opportunities available?
GL: "We were introduced to SOSTENICA by Alan Wright
and Paula Kline, and learned first-hand from them about the
goals and the work that SOSTENICA supports in Nicaragua. SOSTENICA's
integrated approach to organic agriculture, economic opportunity,
environmental development, and a "bottom up" social structure
are all ideas that appealed to us. Furthermore, it appears
to us that SOSTENICA is successfully making it all work! "
SN: What do you enjoy about your experience with SOSTENICA?
GL: "SOSTENICA's newsletters are the best - every
bit as good as the interest checks that arrive regularly,
on time. The stories from the field and profiles of staff
and clients in Nicaragua help us to understand and feel connected
to the work that it supports. It is a gift that keeps on giving."
SN: Would you recommend SOSTENICA as an investment for others?
GL: "I have, and will continue to do so. From our experience,
it has been a sound investment from which we have reaped benefits
both financial and intellectual, and which inspires us with
confidence that we are participating in a worthwhile, important,
and successful venture."
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GEORGE LINDSAY, JR
George Lindsay is an Arts Administrator when he isn't contra-dancing,
sailing or walking his dog
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SHELLY ALTMAN
Shelly Altman, proud grandfather of three, writes software,
ballroom dances and bikes with friends
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SN: How you understand the concept of Socially Responsible
Investing (SRI)?
SA: "Money is one aspect of our lives. If we have
savings, what should we do with them? I think that Social
Investment is one great way to work cooperatively with people."
SN: Why did you choose to invest in SOSTENICA?
SA: "For me, SOSTENICA has both an investment and
an emotional component. Working closely with Nicaragua is
like taking a huge dose of truth serum. It helps me to see
through the lies that surround us all the time. Investing
in SOSTENICA is investing in the truth. It is not about 'supporting
Nicaragua'. It really is bi-directional. They get something
from us, and we get something from them. It goes both ways.
"
SN: What do you consider the best aspect of your experience
with SOSTENICA?
SA: "With SOSTENICA we slice right through bureaucracy
and get as directly as possible from investor to the people
borrowing the money - and it feels terrific! The revolution
of 1979 was a long time ago. Why do I still have this bond
with Nicaragua? It comes down to this. We've been fed lie
after lie about Nicaragua since 1979. In fact, what the Nicaraguans
did back in the '70's was so difficult and so inspiring that
no matter how much things have changed or may change in the
future, they remain for me, a people who had great courage.
They identified their values and then acted on them. Theirs
is a smart, spirited culture that threw off the yoke of imperialism
in a valiant effort to become what they dreamed of becoming.
In some sense, they succeeded, despite the chipping away that
continues to this day. As far as I'm concerned, I have a lifetime
commitment to these people and to their country for having
been a model for us all."
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SN: What does Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)
mean to your church?
VW: "Principally that it breaks the dominant economic
cycle which disadvantages the poor. It gives them a far greater
sense of wellbeing and hope, enables them to better care for
their loved ones, and keeps more of the money in the local
community. It's such a win-win situation. I first heard of
the concept in an NPR piece some years ago with the founder
of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. The concept blew me away.
It touches the practical (really praxis) essence of our faith
so beautifully in that it addresses all three interwoven and
inseparable challenges-love of God, love of neighbor, love
of self (our best selves). When our Outreach Committee came
up with the idea-quite independently-I was delighted."
SN: Why did your church choose to invest in SOSTENICA
from among the many SRI opportunities available?
VW: "Beth Kephart Sulit was serving on the committee
a few years back. She had written an article for a magazine
about Alan Wright, and she brought the idea to the committee
of making contact with SOSTENICA. As we already had some mission
activity in El Salvador-her husband Bill is from there and
his mother runs a hostel for the elderly-it seemed natural
to extend the connection."
SN: What have you liked about your experience with
SOSTENICA?
VW: "A real sense of making a difference in people's
lives. Also that fact that any investment we make can be kept
rolling back into the community. We also appreciate the sense
of personal contact with those we support, through SOSTENICA."
SN: Would you recommend SOSTENICA as an investment
for other congregations?
VW: "Absolutely. It's been a super experience."
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SAINT JOHN'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, DEVON, PENNSYLVANIA
Rev. Dr. Victor Wilson is the Senior Pastor at St. John's
Church in Devon, PA. Victor has been the pastor at St. John's
since 1992. He is the author of Divine Symmetries: The Art
of Biblical Rhetoric
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