Healthy Foods Options

1) New Program at MaineStream Finance - located in Bangor, a non-profit lender that assists start up and existing entreprenuers with loans and business plans.

2) Healthy Foods Options is targeted to growers, producers and small retailers of local, healthy foods

3) What is available?
*Business loans up to $50,000 for coolers, storage, equipment, retail displays and expansion costs PLUS technical assistance with creating a business plan for the healthy foods market

4) This new Healthy Foods Options program has been 1 year in development - MaineStream Finance was awarded a technical assistance grant from Opportunity Finance Network, a national organization, to help design our program, plus, we spoke with local foods businesses to learn more about their business needs. Finally, our business counseling and lending staff completed specialized training on the foods industry.

5) Focus is on providing food producers and growers with business planning guidance and financing assistance.

6) Why did we do this? Keeping pace with local community interests, plus, a national move to eat healthier and to buy locally produced food. More food-related businesses were already coming to us for assistance. So, we saw an opportunity and added our new Healthy Foods Options program.

Interested? MaineStream Finance has an upcoming seminar on business financing which will include the new Healthy Food Options:
When: 12/12/12
Where: 6 pm, at Penquis offices, 262 Harlow Street, Bangor How to register OR to get more info on MaineStream Finance's new Healthy Foods Options program: call 973-3500

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