HumanKind (HK) Lending is an independent 501c3 non-profit corporation that was founded to establish a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The primary mission of this new organization is the promotion of community development by providing activities directed towards improving the social or economic conditions of underserved people and/or residents of economically distressed communities. While HK Lending is an independent 501c3, its creation sprung from a strategic decision by HumanKind to help promote both community economic development and the enhanced long-term sustainability of HumanKind’s core character-based vehicle loan program, Ways to Work.

For decades, HumanKind has provided programs to address inequities plaguing our communities. Some of the programs include:

1. Ways to Work (Consumer Credit Repair, Reliable Transportation, Financial Literacy, and improved employment opportunities).
2. WorkForce Development operator for the Central Virginia Region WorkForce Development collaborative staffing in Richmond and Lynchburg.
3. Financial Navigators in collaboration with the Richmond City Treasurer’s Office
4. Career Coaching in Richmond
5. Financial Opportunity Center in Metro Richmond in collaboration with LISC
6. Healthy Families (for families with children ages 0-5: parent support to give children a healthy start and education readiness), Central Virginia Region
7. Early Head Start (for children ages 0-3: care and education commitment to three localities)

HK Lending mirrors HumanKind’s culture, which is based on strengthening individuals, families, and communities with equity for all through our Mission, Vision, and Values. Through the utilization of HumanKind’s successful Ways to Work program, HK Lending will provide fair interest, responsible, and affordable loans for people to purchase vehicles. While most of our clients have poor or no credit, our character-based approval process provides opportunities to our clients that would not be offered through traditional banking loan practices.

As an emerging CDFI, it is our hope that auto loans will be the initial product focus, and that we will have the potential to offer more complex credit products once we are certified as a CDFI. Some of the credit products we hope to offer include, but not limited to: commercial loans, small business lending, property development, and home mortgages.