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SWIF aids in creation of new Worthington enterprise

The Southwest Initiative Foundation has assisted in the founding of a new Worthington business.


Tortilleria El Maná recently opened its doors at 1506 Oxford St. The business, owned and operated by Maynar Lopez, sells fresh tortillas and tacos.


Southwest Initiative Foundation's Business Finance Loan program helped get Lopez's business up and running. A news release on the program from the foundation states that while Lopez is new to business ownership, he has plenty of experience making tortillas in his home country of Guatemala. He makes 80 pounds of them every day at Tortilleria El Maná – or about 1,000 tortillas, with 15 in each pound.


As Lopez's Oxford Street location wasn’t originally a restaurant, the building needed to be renovated, and SWIF loan dollars helped fund the work. SWIF stated in its press release that its loan programs have been a key function of the foundation since its inception to create and retain quality jobs, foster entrepreneurship and help communities compete in a global marketplace.


Lopez offers counter service and a handful of tables for diners to use at the tortilleria. In the future, he also wants to sell his tortillas to local restaurants and taco trucks. Tortilleria El Maná is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Monday.


SWIF is a nonprofit community foundation connecting people, investing in ideas and building communities to create a southwest Minnesota where all people thrive. Since its founding in 1986, SWIF has distributed more than $115 million through its grantmaking and business finance programs.


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