Full Circle Club
Paying it Forward
A designation reserved for those incredible individuals who are former HFLSD loan recipients that have repaid their loan and have made a donation and commitment to HFLSD and future borrowers. The members of Full Circle Club are paying forward the help they received so they can share the life-changing benefit that their interest-free loan provided them. They, too, want to give a hand-up to members of the San Diego Jewish Community who may need it in the future. We look forward to welcoming more of our loan recipients into the Full Circle Club in the future.
Bruce & Kathryn:
We learned about HFLSD from our employer, and immediately realized that this was an incredible resource in the community. My husband and I both work for a non-profit but our income does not allow a lot of margin for error or a lot of cushion in the case of an emergency. We are newer to the San Diego area, and although we believe it was absolutely the right move for us, nothing has gone as planned. It was a seamless transition in terms of comfort level and being welcomed into the community, but finances were initially an issue. Within a three month period, we had several thousand dollars of repairs between our car and our two daughters’ cars. Also during that time, we had signed a lease and moved into a larger apartment-which gave us more space to host our family, but also doubled our rent payment. We were risking a lot when we had to put a substantial amount for the car repairs on our credit card, but knew of the free loan program and that provided us hope that we could make it through that very challenging season. With the help of Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego, we were able to pay off our credit card and get back on our feet. This was a humbling position to find ourselves in, but we always knew that our goal was to pay off our loan earlier than the payoff date. We are proud to be the first members of the HFLSD Full Circle Club–our loan was paid off in 11 months and we have paid it forward by making a donation to the organization that helped us when we needed it most. Thank you HFLSD!
Kevin:
“I began my relationship with Hebrew Free Loan San Diego in late 2024, shortly after I began my Baal Teshuvah process. I was living in the mountains east of Alpine and was having a very hard time being able to connect with observant Jews and learn more about Judaism. I realized that it was important for me to visit Israel to accomplish these goals, and although I was able to find a volunteer trip that would cover certain costs, I was still looking at the daunting prospect of putting a few thousand dollars on my credit card after working so diligently the last several years to become debt-free.
Fortunately, I had the good sense to type in “low interest loans for Jews” into Google and was quickly connected with HFLSD. The staff and Board were very supportive of my mission and made the entire loan process very easy.
The trip turned out to be everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I have since paid off my loan and I am proud to say I have recently become a HFLSD donor myself! In a society where it can often be difficult to break out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle in order to invest in one’s growth, an interest-free loan can be the difference one needs to move forward to accomplish their goals and reach their potential. I’m excited to help with this cause!