Starting from humble beginnings seems like an understatement when one talks about how Chatas Churros began. “I started out selling my homemade churros on my front lawn,” says Chatas owner Lisa Lomeu. “I knew I had a good product, and I believed in myself. So, I worked hard and grew the business from my front lawn to a food trailer and, ultimately, to our location within a popular local bowling alley.”

All along the way, Lomeu never forgot how other people helped her reach her goals of business ownership and financial independence. “I’ve been truly blessed to have received community support in all that I’ve done,” she says. “By being helped, it feels only natural to want to extend the same kindness to others and, literally, pass it on.”

Her passion for helping others, and her strong conviction that it’s never too early for young people to learn about finances, make Lomeu a natural partner for Columbia Bank’s Pass It On Project. “I’m passing it on to the Corning community by funding and organizing a ‘Credit 101’ seminar for teenagers and their parents,” says Lomeu. Chatas Churros will be providing all of the food, as well as gift cards to all attendees at the seminar, and Columbia Bank is paying the bill!  “I want to help educate the community about home ownership and credit because I believe the more we all know, the better we do as a society.”