Despite these trying times, we stood strong as neighbors, supporting one another through thick and thin. Here are some of the ways we extended a helping hand to our community during the challenges posed by COVID-19:

• Distributed 300+ masks to local merchants for safety compliance.

• Provided 500+ social distancing decals, reducing merchant expenses and ensuring compliance with city mandates.

• Hosted an open forum meeting with restaurant owners and city agencies to address recovery efforts, Open Streets, Sidewalk Cafes, health inspections, and other concerns.

• Partnered with Ponce Bank to facilitate Latino-owned businesses' access to the Paycheck Protection Plan, offering information in both English and Spanish.

• Collaborated with Congressman Adriano Espaillat for live Q&A sessions with IRS and SBA representatives on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

• Engaged with various agencies, including Community Board, Elected Officials, SBS, Department of Labor, Department of Health, and SBA through town halls and conferences.

• Informed businesses about available financial funding options (grants and loans) and guided them through the application process.

• Connected merchants with Small Business Services offices for resource information and guideline navigation.

• Launched the #inwoodtrong campaign in partnership with NoMAA.

• Provided support for social media development, rebranding, and menu updates to adapt to digital spaces.

• Maintained communication with elected officials regarding fund processing delays, shared updates through newsletters, and published a weekly list of open restaurants and stores during the pandemic.