The height of the COVID-19 pandemic could seem like behind us, however the financial harm it has wrought on Akron’s native companies has repercussions which might be nonetheless being handled immediately.
Some companies have succeeded with income and workers drastically slashed, whereas different companies have shuttered their doorways for good.
For 100 small companies in Akron whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic, assistance is close to by the use of a 2021 nationwide financial stimulus package deal.
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Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan introduced Tuesday the 100 companies that might be recipients of a one-time $10,000 small enterprise grant. Funding for this grant comes from Akron’s allotment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) {dollars}, based on officers.
“Akron’s small companies have endured a lot over the previous a number of years to maintain their doorways open and to proceed serving this group,” stated Horrigan. “I am proud to have the ability to make investments into these companies with our ARPA {dollars} and assist them bounce again from the impacts of the pandemic.”
“We hear tales each day of how our small companies stepped up by means of the peak of the pandemic to maintain their clients, their workers, and their communities,” stated Director of Strategic Growth Catey Breck. “These grants are our method of mitigating the fallout they skilled from COVID-19 and placing these as soon as in a era funds again into the group. We’re excited to assist our small companies on this method.”
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In line with the mayor’s workplace, of the 100 grant recipients, 43 are minority-owned and 40 are women-owned companies. Hannah Hamad, proprietor of Hamad’s on Predominant, one of many 100 grant recipients, stated it feels good to know town is there to supply assist for these small companies.
“Sustaining a small household enterprise downtown after the pandemic typically appears like being a captain of a slowly sinking ship,” Hamad stated. “Receiving the Small Enterprise Reduction Grant has lastly given us a shore in sight. We’re grateful to have been given this chance to assist hold us downtown the place we belong.”
Brent Wesley, proprietor of the Akron Honey Firm, talked about that with “funds like this out there, we will transfer sooner in shopping for the gear we want with a purpose to improve in scale.”
Small companies that utilized for the grant have been supplied directions for allowable makes use of of the grant funding, together with for hire or mortgage prices, or utility prices for the enterprise location.
With a view to qualify, recipients akin to Eddies Well-known Cheesesteaks on 147 Predominant St. in downtown Akron needed to be a authorized for-profit enterprise, in addition to in operation within the Metropolis of Akron on or earlier than Jan. 1, 2020.
To see the whole listing of recipients, go to akronohio.gov.
Reporter Anthony Thompson might be reached at [email protected]
