It started as a simple idea by a Ventura County woman who wanted to do some good for others, but was frustrated that her contributions weren’t getting to those who needed them.
The result is a non-profit that’s helped more than 11,000 women improve their lives. Karon Wright is the founder of the non-profit called The Greater Contribution.
Wright founded the organization in 2006. The Thousand Oaks woman talks about the evolution of the concept. She said they make microloans, some as small as $50.00 to help women start their own businesses.
Wright said there are some amazing stories about how The Greater Contribution has helped. She said in one case, they assisted a woman making school clothes. Before the non-profit helped, the woman could only afford to make one outfit at a time. Now, she's mobilized an entire village to help make uniforms.
Board Member Scott Gibb said it’s incredible to see how a little support can made such a big difference. He says they've done more than 26,000 microloans.
Karon Wright said it’s been amazing to meet some of the women they’ve helped. She says it's also very sustainable. The repayment rate for the microloans tops 95%. Each dollar the non-profit has received in contributions is used over and over again to help women create better lives for themselves.
