Atlanta Emerging Markets, Inc. (AEMI) finished 2024 strong, making an impact throughout the city through its support of organizations that are tackling some of Atlanta’s most pressing issues.
“In 2024, AEMI reinforced its commitment to Atlanta’s social entrepreneurship ecosystem, providing impact-driven lending to support local innovators and their work in building stronger communities," says Stephen McRae, president, Atlanta Emerging Markets, Inc.
Created by Invest Atlanta in 2005, the certified Community Development Entity closed $600,000 in impact loans in December alone, totaling $1,001,437 in loan funding for Atlanta’s social entrepreneurs in 2024. Below are the latest organizations that received assistance from AEMI financing.
Goodr
Founded in Atlanta in 2017, Goodr is a for-profit social impact enterprise (and certified B-Corp) that leverages logistics technology to reduce food waste and end hunger across the country. By recovering surplus food from organizations and securing food directly from retailers and wholesalers, Goodr ensures consistent, high-quality food access in food insecure communities.
Goodr’s leverage loan from AEMI will support strategic hires, technology improvements and continued operations. These initiatives will reduce the costs of goods sold, expand partnerships, increase Goodr’s runway and enable profitability. This is the second loan Goodr has received from AEMI and represents ongoing partnerships between the impact enterprise and Invest Atlanta.
Goodr’s work continues to have a significant impact throughout the city. Over the last 12 months alone, the organization has:
- Distributed 477,654 pounds of food
- Served 1,037,841 meals
- Diverted 767,756 pounds of food from landfills
- Prevented 416,891 CO2 emissions
- Contributed $1,846,587 in economic value
- Served 14,076 households
2024 Civic Impact Borrowers
Every year AEMI partners with the Center for Civic Innovation (CCI), offering graduates of its social impact incubator and awards programs the opportunity to apply for 0% interest loans to scale their impact in Atlanta. These organizations focus on hyper-local solutions to Atlanta’s most pressing issues, including everything from maternal health to gun violence prevention.
This year’s Civic Impact Loan recipients help ensure Atlanta is a city where students receive culturally relevant education and where leaders are rooted in civic mindedness.
Restore More builds capacity in the educational system through restorative practices, anti-racism work, teacher wellness and social-emotional learning trainings. AEMI’s funding will help launch a new curriculum and scale the business while maintaining the highly customizable programs that schools and educators know to expect from the organization.
Blaze Leadership is a leadership development and change management firm that focuses on leaders and organizations who are bringing about dramatic change in their community and in their world, providing the tools, coaching and strategic counsel they need to bring big visions into fruition. AEMI’s funding will fund increased staff capacity.
Atlanta Emerging Markets, Inc. (AEMI) is a certified Community Development Entity that fosters economic development, job creation and neighborhood revitalization in underinvested communities. It offers flexible financing to high-impact businesses and real estate development projects.