Moderated by Gérard Vasseur (former company manager) and Jean-Roch Boyer (chartered accountant), the press conference held on May 10 made it possible to draw up a first report of the Colibri fund created at the end of 2020 and fed by donations from companies, and retired business leaders, intended to help companies severely impacted by the crisis. with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry 04, already amount to 173,500 euros and have made it possible to lend 129,000 euros interest-free to ten companies in Haute-Provence Verdon. Loans can go up to 25,000 euros, and once repaid, replenish the Colibri Fund, which then grants new loans to other companies. A commission for examining application files made up of volunteer experts working for Initiative Alpes Provence and associating at least one donor, carries out an analysis of the situation of companies wishing to borrow and offers a choice ….
« For donors, the notion of the duty to actively help is fundamental. For the beneficiaries, the duty will be to repay the loan so that it can be used again for businesses in our territory. “. Eleven companies or former business leaders have made a donation today. Romain Pédinielli, donor, owner of the car dealerships of the same name, testified and explained the meaning of his commitment: “ the companies that have weathered the crisis best must help others “. The appeal of the fund’s promoters to other economic players is clear: to help fuel this fund with philanthropic, virtuous resonance, which, beyond the sole question of financial aid to companies in difficulty, helps to create optimism and restore the confidence of business leaders affected by the crisis, particularly in the hotel and restaurant sector. This was confirmed with emotion by the two witnesses present at the press conference, two business leaders receiving loans. For them, the help and solidarity of the Colibri Fund, and through it of local businesses, were decisive.
This unique experience in the Alpes de Haute-Provence of collecting donations from voluntary companies could be quickly implemented in the Hautes-Alpes department in which the Initiative Alpes Provence platform is also involved.
Guy LIMORTE
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