When Geneva Francais tried to get a loan to market her special marinade, she was turned down by six lenders, “no one wanted to have anything to do with me,” said the 66-year old Atlanta widow.

Last summer she got $1500 from Count-Me-In for Women’s Economic Independence (www.count-me-in.org). Since its launch in March 2000, the group – founded by Nell Merlino, who helped start Take Our Daughters to Work Day, and Iris Burnett, former chief of staff at the United States Information Agency – has loaned $500,000 to 100 women.

Merlino and Burnett came up with the idea in 1997 after attending an economic summit at the White House. Later they heard that women own about one-third of U.S. companies, but receive a paltry 2.3 percent of venture capital.

Count-Me-In accepts a minimum of $5 contributions and loans between $500 and $10,000. some recipients are new to this country. Some have gaps in their work histories because they have taken time off to care for children or parents. Some have poor credit ratings because they have divorced men with poor credit ratings.

“We are only approving 30-percent of all applications so it’s not like we’re giving money to just anybody,” Merlino said. “But we are making it possible for women to get loans who might fall through the cracks.”

"It's wonderful when someone has faith in you," said Francais, who sells her sauce Geneva’s Splash from her home and in specialty shops. "It's something you never forget."