Due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus and the stay-at-home restrictions, many businesses have been closing over the last few weeks. This is especially true for food-and-beverage businesses in the state of Michigan, which ordered the mandatory statewide closing of nonessential businesses that has recently been extended to through Monday, April 13.
In order to help those whose businesses were affected by the statewide shutdown, Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) has established a $500,000 emergency loan fund for small food-and-beverage businesses in Battle Creek. The mission of this fund is to help businesses affected by the executive order maintain payroll and workforce expenses.
"Battle Creek is our community, our home.” said President and CEO of BCU Joe Sobieralski in a statement reported by the Battle Creek Enquirer. “The people who work here are our neighbors and friends. Over the last couple of years, the transformation of Battle Creek, in particular the downtown, has been exciting to watch.”
The emergency loan will consist of low-interest-rate loans of up to $50,000 and will be available to food-and-beverage businesses effective immediately.
Food-and-beverage businesses that are located in the city of Battle Creek will be given priority on the loans. In order to qualify, applicants must report annual revenues of less than $2.5 million and must also be able to demonstrate offering primarily dine-in consumption before the executive order was implemented.
Business owners are strongly encouraged to be prudent in their requests so that more people can benefit from the fund.
Alerts Sign-up