Pennsylvania's Small Businesses Joining Forces To Help Their Own During Pandemic

Howard Monroe reports.

PENNSYLVANIA'S SMALLBUSINESSES ARE JOINING FORCETOES HELP THEIR OWN DURINGTHIS PANDEMIC, THEPENNSYLVANIA 30 DAY FUNNIESPROVIDING FORGIVABLE LOANS TOPAY FOR THINGS LIKE PAYROLLAND RENT."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERHOWARD MONROE IS IN QUEENVILLAGE WITH HOW THIS PROGRAMWORKS, HI THERE HOWARD.REPORTER: SO MANY SMALLBUSINESSES AROUND HERE ARECLOSED AND NOW THE BUSINESSOWNERS ARE STRUGGLE TELLINGPAY RENT AND ALSO KEEPINGPEOPLE EMPLOYED AND THAT ISWHERE PATH 30 DAY FUN COMESIN.NOW SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSSTHE STATE ARE ABLE TO APPLYFOR A $3,000 FORGIVABLE LOAN.IDEA FOR LOAN TO ACT AS ASAFETY NET FOR SMALLBUSINESSES.MANY BUSINESS OWNERS ARE STILLWAITING ON FEDERAL AND STATELOANS TO COME THROUGH AND MANYARE NOT APPLYING BECAUSE THEAPPLICATION PROCESS CAN BECUMBERSOME.LEADERS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA30 DAY FUND SAY THEIRAPPLICATIONS ONLY TAKES 10MINUTES.TO QUALIFY YOU HAVE TO EMPLOYBETWEEN THREE AND 30 PEOPLE,BE BASED IN PENNSYLVANIA ANDBE IN OPERATION FOR AT LEAST AYEAR AND THE BUSINESS MUST BEOWN AND OPERATED BYPENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT.THEY SAY LOANS ARE PAID OUT INLESS THAN THREE DAYS.JEFF BROWN, OF BROWN'S SUPERSTORES WHICH OPERATES 10 SHOPRIGHTS IN THE DELAWARE VALLEYIS A BOARD MEMBER AND SAYSLOANS COULD BE A LIFE SAFERFOR SOLVE THESE BUSINESSES.MAIN THING WE WANT TO SEEHAPPEN WE DENT WANT TO SEE ALLOF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES GO OUTOF BUSINESS.I MEAN IF YOU THINK ABOUT THEPHILADELPHIA AREA, IT IS ATREASURE TO OUR AREA, THESMALL RESTAURANT, SMALL NAILPLACE, SALON, BARBER SHOP, INSOME CASES, THE DOCTOR'SOFFICES THAT, YOU KNOW LOVEAND CARE FOR THEIR PATIENTS INA WAY YOU CONTACT THAN IN THEREPLACE.THEY WILL WANT TO BE -- THEYARE IRREPLACEABLE AND THE JOBSWILL TAKE SO LONG TO COME BACKIF WE DON'T HELP THEM STAY INBUSINESS.REPORTER: FUND HAS RAISEDOVER 200 YOU THIS DOLLARS TOBE DIVIDED BETWEEN THOSE SMALLBUSINESSES, COMING UP AT 5:30,HEAR FROM SOME SMALL BUSINESSOWNERS ABOUT WHAT THIS FUNDMEANS TO THEM.IF WOULD YOU LIKE TO APPLY ORDONATE WE HAVE A LINC TO THEFUN ON OUR WEBSITE AT CBS