RSF Social Finance Makes a Loan to Hana Health

(3BL Media) San Francisco, CA - March 19, 2012 - RSF Social Finance (RSF) is proud to announce a new loan to Hana Health (HH), the only healthcare provider in a 233 square mile area of Maui, Hawaii. Hana Health’s mission is to improve the health of its constituents through social, economic, educational, and agricultural programs.

Hana Health provides general, emergency, and preventive medical and dental services, and also operates Hana Fresh Farms, an organic fruit and vegetable business, with after school wellness programs, a lunch program for seniors, and physical fitness classes. On six acres of contiguous land, the farm grows over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables and sells them directly to the community six days a week.  Hana Health’s activities promote a local and sustainable food system that creates jobs, builds community, and prevents illness.

Due to its remote location and expensive real estate, Hawaiians spend more of their income on food than people in any other state besides Alaska.  Fresh produce in Hawaii is limited and extremely expensive, and Hawaii has one of the highest rates of diabetes and obesity in the U.S. RSF financing will help HH expand its services to have a deeper and wider reach in their community. The funds will also enable them to open the doors of a newly constructed $1.5 million Hana Nutrition Center.

The Hana Fresh Farm and the Hana Fresh Nutrition Center are cornerstones of Hana Health’s approach to preventive health care.  “Hana Health is the archetypal community-builder that RSF seeks to support.  Unlike most of its peers, HH uses a broad definition of community health,” says Ted Levinson, Director of Lending at RSF Social Finance.  “Through its Hana Fresh enterprise, the economic and physical health of Hana residents, the cultural vitality of the region and even the soil have been improved.  We’re eager to see other communities replicate this winning model.”

RSF is excited to help Hana Fresh Farm contribute to the overall economic vitality of the Hana district while maintaining its rural character – by providing sustainable agri-business employment and training opportunities for district residents, increasing the food security of this remote population with a nutritious, affordable, sustainable food system, and generating income to support the programs of Hana Health.

“Partnering with RSF Social Finance has been both an extraordinary and empowering experience for Hana Health,” says Cheryl Vasconcellos, Executive Director.  “Working with a lender that truly understands and supports our entrepreneurial approach to creating a healthy community is extremely gratifying.  We are very grateful for this opportunity. “

RSF Social Finance is the lender of choice for values-driven social enterprise in the areas of Food & Agriculture, Education & the Arts, and Ecological Stewardship. Borrowers not only receive financing to meet their capital needs through a close relationship with RSF, each becomes part of a larger community working to transform the way the world works with money. RSF is proud to support Hana Health and the positive social and environmental impacts they generate.

About RSF Social Finance
Located in San Francisco, CA, RSF Social Finance (RSF) is a non-profit financial services organization dedicated to transforming the way the world works with money. Since 1984, the organization has made over $230 million in loans and $100 million in grants to non-profit and for-profit social enterprises working in the areas of Food & Agriculture, Education & the Arts, and Ecological Stewardship.

RSF's lending capital comes primarily from 1,200 individuals who have invested $1,000 or more in the organization's Social Investment Fund. Investors earn a competitive return on their money comparable to a certificate of deposit while their funds are deployed to leading social enterprises. To learn more, visit www.rsfsocialfinance.org.

About Hana Health
The mission of Hana Health is to improve the health and wellness of the Moku district of Hana, Maui, particularly among Native Hawaiians and those who are underserved due to financial, cultural and geographic barriers. Hana Health and Hana Fresh bring together healthcare, organic farming, and nutrition in a unique approach to community wellness that is a model for contemporary society. www.hanahealth.org

Contact
Ted Levinson, Lending Director
ted.levinson@rsfsocialfinance.org
415.561.6179

Jillian McCoy, Senior Associate, Communications
jillian.mccoy@rsfsocialfinance.org
415.561.6156