In addition to providing a professional forum for Harvard alumi/ae in midtown Manhattan, the Harvard Club of NYC encourages members to lend their skills to community development projects through Crimson Impact. In order to align the preferences and skill sets of member volunteers with different causes, Crimson Impact partners with a number of respected 501(c)(3) nonprofits such as Grameen America.
Established in 2008 by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, Grameen America is a micro-finance platform designed to empower women from low-income backgrounds and develop the community from the ground up. By providing comprehensive financial training and a $1,500 micro-loan, the project enables women to develop a small business in their communities. In addition, Grameen America assists with opening a savings account and meets weekly with members so they can make loan and savings payments, develop peer networks, and receive continuing education. As a result, Grameen America has invested more than $230MM in over 43,000 women throughout 11 cities, with a staggering repayment rate of 99 percent. To learn more about Grameen America and how to get involved, visit grameenamerica.org.