On May 25, 1986, Sister Marie Luisa Vasquez joined an estimated 6.5 million Americans in the coast-to-coast “Hands Across America” charity event, linking hands to fight hunger and homelessness. In New Mexico alone, over 200,000 people participated in this human chain, which ultimately raised $34 million nationwide for anti-poverty causes. The dramatic spectacle inspired Sister Marie and local faith leaders with a bold idea: instead of one-day charity, create a lasting solution to poverty. In its aftermath, the New Mexico Conference of Churches secured a grant from the Hands Across America fund to explore ways to alleviate poverty in the state. This moment became the spark that ignited the formation of The Loan Fund, planting the seed for a new, community-driven loan program to help low-income New Mexicans help themselves.