When Jonathan Ortiz first started his business, Creative Focus Designs, the biggest thing keeping him up at night wasn’t the work itself. It was the isolation.
“As a business owner, sometimes you feel like you’re in it by yourself,” Ortiz said. “The biggest hurdle is having access to the information.”
On Wednesday, Ortiz joined community leaders and bank executives to cut the ribbon on the new JPMorgan Chase branch at Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.
But for Ortiz, this wasn’t just a celebration of a new building; it was a celebration of the “Coaching for Impact” program that changed his career.
The program provided Ortiz with a “50-foot view” of his company, breaking down industry trends and financial gaps he hadn’t seen before.
“Someone else looking at your business and saying, ‘Hey, have you tried to do this?’ has been phenomenal,” Ortiz told the Press.
The new branch is part of a broader strategy by Chase to bridge the gap between big banks and local neighborhoods.
Nicole King, the Community Banking Lead for New York City and Long Island, emphasized that this location is designed to tackle historical barriers.
“We know that historically, in communities, there’s a mistrust for banks,” King said. “We want to make sure that every resident understands that they can walk into a Chase branch and get the help and resources that they need.”
King noted that while Chase has been on Long Island for over 100 years, this new model is about being “the bank for all.” Perhaps the most significant feature of the new community-focused model is accessibility. King confirmed that residents do not need to be Chase customers to utilize the branch’s financial health workshops or business mentoring programs.
“So just show up for yourself,” King said. “We know that when we invest in communities, we all do better.”
Amy Flores, the community manager for Nassau County, is tasked with turning that corporate vision into local action. Her role involves curating workshops on budgeting, credit, and savings specifically tailored to the needs of Valley Stream residents.
“My role really focuses on identifying the needs of the community,” Flores said. “Whether it’s the community manager in Suffolk or through the power of partnerships with our community partners, we are here to be able to support one another so that we’re making an impact collectively.”
The opening event itself was a showcase of that local partnership. Branch manager Robin Simmons, whose energy was described as “infectious” by her team, invited a roster of local entrepreneurs to display their work inside the branch.
Attendees sampled goods from Mo’s Soul Food, Valley Charcuterie, and Komfort Kocktails, while viewing work by local artist Shelene Thomas. It was a physical demonstration of the bank’s pledge to support the local ecosystem, with one attendee noting that “this is what the community needs.”
For Ortiz, that impact is already real.
“It sets a standard showing that there are big corporations willing to partner with small businesses,” Ortiz said. “It just helps us navigate and do more in our community.”
