Jayco Founders Launch Legacy Fund
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowMiddlebury-based Jayco Inc. says its founding family has established a legacy fund to support poor communities in Latin American countries. The Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager Jayco Legacy Fund will provide micro-loans to small businesses throughout Central and South America.
October 15, 2013
News Release
Middlebury, Ind. — Jayco, Inc. today announced that its founding family has established a social impact investment fund to provide economic assistance in poor communities in developing countries in Latin America. The fund, to be known as the Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager Jayco Legacy Fund, will invest early stage capital (micro-loans) with small businesses to improve the lives of families throughout Central and South America and in the Caribbean.
The fund will begin operation with financial contributions from Jayco and from the family of founder Lloyd Bontrager and, eventually, it hopes to include both employees and Jayco dealers as benefactors for the fund.
In making the announcement, Wilbur Bontrager, Jayco's chairman of the board, said, “The success of our business work provides us with the opportunity of doing our part to help the less fortunate. Our aim with this ongoing funding is to bring dignity and joy to the working poor throughout the Americas by helping them grow sustainable, locally-owned businesses and farms that are not dependent on charity for survival. The difference between poverty and prosperity often hinges on the success of small businesses. We know that lack of capital and credit are among the biggest problems facing the farmers and small businesses in Latin America. The Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager Jayco Legacy Fund will help address these issues.”
The charitable fund will operate through a financial arm of MEDA – Mennonite Economic Development Associates – an international development association that creates sustainable solutions to poverty and spurs community growth for millions of families each year. Like Jayco, MEDA has a long history of innovation, and is a trusted partner known for value, integrity and vision.
About Jayco, Inc.
Jayco, Inc. was founded in 1968 by Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager in Middlebury, Indiana. Today, the company is the largest privately-held manufacturer of recreation vehicles in North America and is headed by the Bontragers’ two sons, Wilbur Bontrager, chairman of the board, and Derald Bontrager, president and chief executive officer. Jayco makes and markets RVs through three operating divisions – Jayco RV, Starcraft RV and Entegra Coach. For more information about the company and its products, call 800-RV-JAYCO or go to www.jayco.com.
About MEDA
MEDA is a dynamic international development organization that believes in creating business solutions to poverty. For 60 years, it has been involved in designing and implementing innovative and effective market-driven economic development programs that improve the livelihoods of millions of people living in poverty around the world each year.
Source: Jayco Inc.