CARES Act Small Business Grant awarded to 28 Raytown businesses

CARES Act Small Business Grant awarded to 28 Raytown businesses

ENTREPRENEURS STILLNEED HELP.AS 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER MCKENZIENELSON EXPLAINS -- SOMEIN RAYTOWN RECEIVED ACHRISTMAS GIFT.AFTER MONTHS OFHARDSHIPS - RAYTOWNSMALL BUSINESS OWNERSRECEIVED A LITTLE HOPE.DAMON HODGES - CITYADMINISTRATOR, RAYTOWNSWell today, we"rehanding out checks to oursmall businesses.SERENITY CAFE WAS ONEOF 28 TO RECEIVE ACHECK.REBECCA TOLBERT- OWNER OFSERENITY CAFESThis grant will help us fora couple of months but then ifthings don"t pick up or wedon"t get any help fromcongress at all, we"ll beright back in the samesituation.REBECCA TOLBERTOPENED FOR BUSINESSALMOST ONE YEAR AGO,NOT LONG BEFORE THEPANDEMIC HIT.TOLBERTSOur grand opening wasDecember 20th of 19.MCKENZIE NELSON - REPORTINGAFTER LOCALRESTRICTIONS SHUTBUSINESSES DOWN "REOPENING ANDREGAINING CUSTOMERSHAS BEEN A STRUGGLE.MATT THOLEN - GENERALMANAGER, EXTREME Grand PrixINDOOR FAMILY FUN CENTERSNormally in lateNovember, December andearly January, we areextremely busy with holidayparties.

Companies from allover the Kansas City metroarea come out, hang out withus, enjoy and just have agreat time.THE LACK OF BUSINESSMAKES IT HARD EMPLOYSTAFF " AND KEEP THEDOORS OPEN.HODGESS52 percent of theapplicants have employeeswho live within the city limitsof Raytown and that therespeaks volumes.

If thosebusiness aren"t thriving,that hurts our residents in ahuge way.THE CARES ACT SMALLBUSINESS GRANT WORKSTO ASSIST SMALLBUSINESSES LIKE THESETHAT HAVE BEENIMPACTED BY COVID-19.THE CITY RECEIVED$226,000 IN FUNDING AND28 OF 56 APPLICANTSRECEIVED THE GRANT.HODGESSThe amounts we"regiven is from $1,300 up to$10,000.BUSINESS OWNERS SAY ITWILL HELP THEM REMAINOPEN " FOR NOW.TOLBERTSDecember and January isa slow month anyway forrestaurants so it will just kindof help us get through theslow season.AS THE NEED REMAINS "BUSINESSES ARE ASKINGFOR MORE FEDERAL HELP.THOLENSWe are hoping that thegovernment will step up a littlebit and help us out a little bitmore in order to help makeends meet and be able tokeep our employees staffedand keep our