Japu restaurant, located in downtown Lawrence’s historic Duck Mills building, is owned and operated by the mother-daughter team Nieves Torribio and Delania Acosta. Japu is an authentic family restaurant with brother/son Arturo Acosto, as the head chef who brings extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Japu brings Lawrence a unique fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, with all original recipes that keep the glowing reviews rolling in.
Nieves and Delania worked with Mill Cities Community Investments’ (MCCI) staff to develop a business plan and financial projections for the restaurant before they opened Japu. With a business plan and savings, they qualified for a $50,000 community loan through the Lawrence Venture Fund to open Japu’s doors in 2018, employing nine full-time employees. Japu’s owners continued to benefit from MCCI’s programs, graduating from Bookkeeping, QuickBooks, and Tax Prep classroom training.
During the height of the pandemic, MCCI provided one-on-one support to help Japu qualify for a $60,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan that helped keep their staff onboard and their doors open.
Great news for Massachusetts homeowners: the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank at MassHousing announced it has surpassed $5 million in Energy Saver Home Loan financing, helping residents cut energy use and boost the value of their homes. Nectar is a proud participating lender — and our Residential Services Director Lissette Paukert is quoted on the program’s impact. Read the press release
Nectar Community Investments has welcomed Boston Ujima Project Executive Director Nia K. Evans as a new board member to be part of their organization. Evans’ role at the Boston Ujima Project focuses on bringing together neighbors, workers, business owners and investors in Greater Boston to build a community-controlled economy. According to Evans, the Boston Ujima Project has “made history as the nation’s first democratically governed investment fund.” Read the article
Our Executive Director Glynn Lloyd joined more than 400 housing, business, and public-sector leaders at the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association’s annual Housing Summit, where he moderated a panel about Massachusetts’ economic development potential as a hub for modular construction. Read the article
Non-Discrimination Notice:
In accordance with federal laws and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20220; call (202) 622-1160; or send an e-mail to: [email protected].