Elida, a founding member of Natural Home Cleaning, now earns more than double what she earned in her previous job. Thanks to WAGES and the co-op, she has health insurance for the first time, and her family has purchased a home of their own. Elida is also building equity in her business. Her retained earnings in the coop are $3,600, a substantial sum for her family. But what Elida appreciates most about her job is how she feels on a day-to-day basis: “The best thing about the co-op is the non-toxic products we use. They don’t make me sick and they don’t damage my hands. When I worked as a janitor, the boss would give us a strong liquid to use on the toilet.… It burned our eyes, and when it dripped on our hands, it burned like hot water! The products we use here are natural and don’t hurt us.”