Greetings to the extended JIFFI-verse! The sun is shining, the weather is warm, and I am no longer tied to a desk in the library cramming for finals. My name is Aaron Bode, and I will be working with JIFFI as a intern in the upcoming months. Today is my first day on the job, and I am thrilled to be starting my summer immersion.

My first year with this group has been incredible; as a first-year associate, I loved working with clients and spreading JIFFI’s message at the South Bend Center for the Homeless, and as a member of the fundraising division, I was enthused to see our Indiegogo campaign succeed. Yet, this internship isn’t about what I’ve enjoyed or done so far — it’s about where JIFFI is headed next.

Over the next ten weeks, I will spend time meeting with clients, working with SJC Bridges Out of Poverty, maintaining and updating internal information, and pursuing individual projects to further JIFFI’s mission. These varying components will allow me to a) keep JIFFI functioning while ND is on summer break (always a good thing), b) personally experience and identify where our strengths and areas to improve are, and c) potentially uncover new opportunities for this extraordinary organization.

In every action I take this summer, JIFFI’s evolution will be at the center of my focus. I hope that through work exposure and mindful reflection, I can begin to address questions such as: How can we improve our service capabilities to better serve the everyday citizens of South Bend, Mishawaka, and surrounding communities? What can we do to increase our visibility? Can technology play a role in expanding our geographic footprint? What are the best ways to expand the scale of our operations? Should we pursue lobbying as a means to influence policy on lending matters? And: What are the keys to making JIFFI a truly sustainable business?