Bruce and Becky Berk have been donors, and occasional investors, in the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund since 1997.

“The fact that it’s a New Hampshire-grown, N.H.-based, organization that offers multiple opportunities for people to get involved at whatever level they can, and make a difference in the lives of fellow N.H. folks on such an elemental and respectful level, is pretty huge,” says Becky.

“You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you don’t have any boots.”

"The motivation was doing something local that’s also really timely."

In spring of 2020, when we launched the Borrower Stabilization Fund to help people and businesses hit by the pandemic’s economic after-shocks, the Berks supported us in a different way—by making a 0%-interest investment.

Zero-percent investors allow us to use the earnings they’d ordinarily receive to offer extra assistance to borrowers who are struggling, and to make loans that are even more affordable.

“The motivation was doing something local that’s also really timely. We weren’t thinking about investing again, but it just felt too important not to,” Bruce says.

To recognize and honor the Berks and dozens of others who answered our call for 0% investments, we created the 100% Opportunity Club.

If you’d like to join, or if you have questions, please contact a member of our investor relations team:

Individual investors can contact our Director of Donor Relations and Impact Investing, Martha Dickey at (603) 856-0729.

Institutional investors can contact Vice President of External Relations, Katie McQuaid at (603) 856-0728.

This article was first published in the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund’s 2020 annual report.