Montgomery, Ala. – June 1, 2020 – Today, local leaders announced the opening of applications for the Recover Together Small Business Relief Fund which has received over 100 applications at the time of this release. Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation Chairman Willie Durham, Mayor Steven L. Reed and co-chairs of his Economic Impact Task Force, County Commission Chairman Elton Dean and City Council President Charles Jinright, addressed the media today to mark this milestone for the relief fund which was created help small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Small Business Relief Fund will provide flexible, one-time grants of between $1,000 and $7,500 with a cap of $7,500 per award to provide working capital for small businesses in the Montgomery area as these businesses work to continue or resume operations following COVID-19-related impacts. The Small Business Relief Fund began accepting grant applications online via www.recovermgm.com today, June 1, and will continue accepting applications and awarding grants on a rolling basis through June 15, as funds remain available.
The relief fund is administered through the Chamber’s 501(c)3 charitable foundation, which contributed an initial $100,000 in seed funding and has been further supported through the generosity of our corporate and philanthropic partners, individual contributors and local government support.
Individual or corporate donations can be made online at www.recovermgm.com or via check made payable to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. If contributing via check, donors should indicate that the contribution is intended for the “Small Business Relief Fund” in the memo field and mail to P.O. Box 79, Montgomery, AL 36101. All contributions are tax deductible.
Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED presented a $10,000 donation to the fund, which will directly assist the Montgomery small business community by helping to make more grants available through the Small Business Relief Fund.
“COVID-19 remains a very serious challenge for Montgomery as a health and economic crisis. This fund provides flexible relief for businesses working to stay afloat as well as resources that businesses can use to guarantee the necessary measures are in place to keep their customers and employees safe. I appreciate the coalition of leaders who have created this fund, and the donors who have supported it, and we invite anyone, anywhere who loves Montgomery and the small businesses that make our city great to support it as well,” said Mayor Steven L. Reed.
“The number of applications today shows just how important this kind of relief is for Montgomery’s small businesses. We want to thank Mayor Reed and the Economic Impact Task Force for their leadership on this issue, and the individual and corporate donors, like Montgomery Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED for their generosity. We know local businesses are facing multiple challenges right now, and every dollar counts. The Small Business Relief Fund Committee looks forward to reviewing the applications and assisting as many businesses as possible with this initiative,” said Chamber Foundation Chairman Willie Durham.
“Now is the time for all of us to come together and support the lifeblood of our economy, our entrepreneurs and small businesses. They’ve put their livelihood on the line to create businesses that make Montgomery a place people love to live and visit. Continued public and private collaboration like this, with support from the business community and individuals, will allow us to help them continue to make Montgomery great,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman and Task Force Co-Chair Elton Dean.
Like the Recover Together Small Business Hub, launched on April 29, the Small Business Relief Fund provides an avenue for multiple community partners to work together to support Montgomery’s small businesses during these difficult and uncertain times. Small businesses in need of direct assistance may contact the hub at any time by calling 334-226-7529 or visiting recovermgm.com.
For more information about growing a business in Montgomery, visit www.montgomerychamber.com.
Editor’s Note: For video content supporting the Recover Together Campaign and Small Business Relief Fund, visit https://bit.ly/RecoverTogethervids.
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ABOUT THE MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
With a mission to create jobs and a better quality of life in Montgomery and the River Region, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce is a full spectrum economic development corporation representing 1,700 organizations and business and more than 80,000 employees throughout Montgomery and the River Region. The Montgomery Chamber is an innovative, consolidated organization that addresses destination tourism, economic development, business development, workforce development, and community strategies under one umbrella, linking the public and private sector around a shared vision and providing tremendous value to its investors.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Meg Lewis
Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce
mlewis@montgomerychamber.com
(334) 261-1104
