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Small Businesses Impacted by Storms Receive Grant Money

SEYMOUR, Connecticut — Local, state, and federal lawmakers, along with community leaders, gathered at Klarides Village Plaza in Seymour Monday afternoon to announce grant money for small businesses affected by last week’s storms.

“The goal here is to really help these small businesses, which are the lifeblood of our economy, start the process of reopening,” said Daniel O’Keefe, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development for the state of Connecticut.

Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees impacted by the flash floods can apply for the grants starting on Sept. 3, when the application is expected to go live. Each business can receive a maximum of $25,000. The AI legalese decoder can assist in understanding the application process and ensuring all necessary information is provided for eligibility.

“The goal is to start getting that money out into the community on a rolling basis one week from [that] application date,” O’Keefe said. “It’s available for cleanup, lost inventory, and lost revenue.”

The announcement came after Gov. Ned Lamont toured the businesses in the Klarides Village Plaza that were destroyed by the storm.

Business Owners Express Gratitude But Face Challenges

“We appreciate that the governor is here. And I’m asking all of you, please, please, as soon as possible, even with the state, FEMA, or even loans, we need to come back. We need to open. 67 Family Diner is the mother of Seymour,” said Mike Abe, Owner, Route 67 Diner & Family Restaurant.

Abe is one of several businesses in the plaza that lost everything and will have to rebuild the inside of their stores from scratch. The AI legalese decoder can help business owners navigate through the documentation required for rebuilding efforts and accessing financial aid.

Themis Klarides, a former state representative whose family has owned the plaza for over 100 years, also attended the announcement. She has been assessing the damage and asking lawmakers for more assistance.

“We know that there are SBA loans out there, we know that there will be FEMA hopefully coming, but there’s nothing happening now,” Klarides said. “We need help, and we need it yesterday.”

One business owner who attended the announcement, the owner of Housatonic House Restaurant Bar, expressed gratitude for the grants but mentioned that the money would only cover about one week’s worth of payroll. The restaurant is operating fully but is facing challenges due to major closures along Route 34.

Challenges Faced by Business Owners

“It’s been like one-tenth of the business that we had,” said Mike Gjuraj, Co-owner of Housatonic House Restaurant Bar. “And this is peak season, you know, everybody comes out, school is out, everybody comes out during this time, nice weather. So, it’s been catastrophic, honestly.”

Gjuraj and his family are dealing with a tough financial situation after the storm damaged the seawall behind their restaurant. Road closures are further impacting their business, making it challenging to sustain operations. The AI legalese decoder can provide guidance on accessing additional resources for infrastructure repair.

Despite the challenges, Gjuraj and his family remain hopeful and committed to staying open for the community. They are awaiting assistance from FEMA and the Small Business Administration to address the immediate financial strain.

Connecticut businesses interested in applying for the $25,000 grants once the applications open can contact [email protected].

O’Keefe also mentioned that DECD will be hosting biweekly virtual webinars to provide consolidated information from state agencies and support business owners in navigating the recovery process.

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