Harvest Pizzeria owner Chris Crader is giving back to the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) this week by donating a portion of his restaurant’s proceeds. He is expressing his gratitude for the support ECDI provided him when he opened his first restaurant in 2012. ECDI, based in Columbus, is the largest Small Business Administration microlender in the nation and has helped many entrepreneurs like Crader with loans and business coaching services.
As part of Small Business Week, Crader is donating some of his restaurant’s income from takeout pizza sales to ECDI. The nonprofit institute has provided over $177 million in loans since its inception in 2004 and has assisted more than 32,000 entrepreneurs through its educational programs. When Crader and his wife were unable to secure loans from commercial banks for Harvest Pizzeria, they turned to ECDI for help. With the institute’s support, they received a $75,000 loan through federal programs aimed at helping women and U.S. military veterans, as well as valuable business-coaching services.
Today, Harvest Pizzeria has multiple locations in Bexley, the Brewery District, Clintonville, Dublin, and Granville. Crader’s decision to give back to ECDI during Small Business Week is a way for him to support the agency in assisting other entrepreneurs like himself who may need financial assistance and guidance to achieve their business goals.
