ASII (A Shared Initiative, Inc.) was formed to expand programs initially designed by ASI Federal Credit Union, a community development financial institution (CDFI) serving predominately low-income and minority individuals and families. The post-Katrina demand for anti-poverty programs and services provided by the credit union far outstripped the resources that the credit union could easily provide. In order to focus more resources on existing programs and to expand our focus to include the development and construction of affordable housing, A Shared Initiative, Inc. was launched.

     The nonprofit’s employees are the veteran employees of the credit union who were responsible for starting many of the anti-poverty programs over the years. At present, our resources are small, but our commitment is not. ASII's current goal is to help residents who lived in the St. Claude neighborhood prior to Katrina return home and to give those who rented an opportunity to become first-time homeowners. With this goal in mind, ASII understands that at the center of rebuilding the city to its original integrity is the necessity to preserve cultural diversity, forge partnerships across all sectors of society and uphold collaboration and equity as the core of success.