1711 Stratford Street - Savannah, GA
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Stratford Street home neighborhood background: It is an older community in Savannah, GA and was an area where substantial flooding had taken place following a major hurricane. It is now a redevelopment area of mixed income. Some of the homes are rented, owned or public housing. It is a pre-dominantly black area, with substantial amounts of poverty. There is in interest in the neighborhood, because of the potential to refurbish homes and build affordable housing for residents. Additionally, the city is looking to build a new arena that will not be far from the neighborhood, in hopes that it can bring jobs to individuals living in the area. The neighborhood is a working progress but there is a vetted interest in revitalizing the neighborhood and refurbishing many of the homes.
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The Stratford Street home was the first home to be redone by Catalyst.
Natalies Hauling
Company, LLC
"I was and remain very grateful for the support received from Carver State Bank and Catalyst Development Corporation", says Ms. Moultrie. Ms. Natalie Moultrie was born and raised in Savannah, Ga. Growing up, her brothers, her dad, and her uncles started a hauling company to haul off debris following a major hurricane in the early 80's. A few years later, Natalie decided to follow in their footsteps and enter into the hauling business. Ms. Moultrie grew up in the Savannah, GA area, so she had some history with Carver State Bank.
The small business loan that Ms. Moultrie received from Catalyst Development Corporation helped with the maintenance account for her truck and helped her make improvements to the truck. Additional equipment was needed in order for Natalie to be able to accept more desirable jobs and haul more loads of asphalt and fill dirt. Specifically, Ms. Moultrie was able to use this loan to purchase a special vibrator to add to her truck that would help her with efficiency and allow her to take on bigger hauling jobs.
In the future, Ms. Moultrie has even bigger visions for expanding her hauling company and hopes to use Catalyst as a resource in the future.
Leron Smalls
"The loan I received from Catalyst Development Corporation gave me the opportunity to reach out a little further and get connected to additional resources", says Mr. Smalls. Mr. Leron Smalls, a resident of Savannah, GA owns a maintenance repair company. He specializes in home improvements, flooring, plumbing, and the ins and outs of maintaining the home. Mr. Smalls learned about Catalyst Development Corporation through Mr. Robert E. James. At the time, Mr. Smalls was burdened by the maintenance of doing home improvement jobs without the proper vehicle to transport his tools. He was able to get connected with Catalyst Development Corporation and received a small business loan to help him get ahead with his company. Mr. Smalls was able to use the loan to purchase a van so that he could move his tools and do his maintenance work better. With the help of Catalyst, Mr. Smalls had the opportunity to get a vehicle that provided him with everything he needed to continue his home improvement work.