Opportunity without Barriers – Little Rock, AR

(Oportunidades sin Barreras)

Atillio García is a hard-working entrepreneur, the owner of an office cleaning service and of Oasis, a lively cantina in Little Rock, Arkansas. García is pursuing the American dream, but when it comes to business transactions, he is still more comfortable speaking in his native Spanish. That’s why when García needed a commercial loan to purchase the property adjacent to his cantina for expansion, he turned to Hope Credit Union for assistance.

“Southwest Little Rock has a large Hispanic population,” says Mike Ramirez, manager of HOPE’s Little Rock branch and a native of Mexico. “We have bilingual staff members who speak their language and understand the unique challenges our Hispanic customers face. Our mission is to reach out to all underserved residents and help them be successful.”

García was approved for the business loan he needed, and as a result, is continuing to grow his businesses and his own investment in the Little Rock community.

“I was attracted to HOPE because of their Hispanic program,” García says. “I felt very comfortable working with Mike Ramirez because we could discuss the loan in Spanish. When you work through an interpreter, it’s not the same as speaking with someone directly, especially when you’re discussing important financial matters. I would definitely recommend HOPE to my Spanish-speaking friends who are also in business. HOPE not only took care of everything for my loan, they showed me that they care about us.”