Generous donation from a local couple helps small business bloom in times of crisis
May 18th, 2021, Oakland, Calif. -
“When my business was closed for 6 months during the pandemic, everything came to a halt, and I felt helpless,” recounts Thomas Ramirez, owner of Americano Barber Co., a Long Beach barbershop. “This grant gives me hope that our small business is one step closer to restoring our livelihood and will help ensure we can continue to be a part of the community, offering services and a spirit of hospitality to every person who comes through our door.”
Ramirez is one of 20 small businesses to receive a grant from the Bloom Small Business Grant Program. A program made possible through the generosity of a local Southern California couple. In partnership with TMC Community Capital, a California nonprofit microlender focused on providing access to capital for under-resourced small business owners, the Bloom Grant Program has provided 20 struggling small businesses in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, and Los Alamitos with $5,000 each in economic assistance. With spring arriving in full force, the program has helped small businesses bloom in times of crisis.
Ramirez started his business in 2018 with a vision to create a place where every person in his community would feel welcome and valued and where he could practice the barbering craft for which he had such a passion. “I believe in the barbershop as a pivotal space in the community—where people from all walks of life can gather in a common space and forge a sense of neighborliness that celebrates solidarity amid diversity,” Ramirez said.
Besides hosting his successful small business, Ramirez uses his barbershop as a gathering spot for a mentorship program for local inner-city youth that encourages teenagers to pursue their dreams despite challenges and become leaders in their community.
The anonymous couple was inspired by Jane and Ray Wurwand’s launch of the FOUND/LA Small Business Recovery Fund, which TMC Community Capital administered in partnership with Pacific Community Ventures. The grant program provided $1 million to 69 struggling small businesses in Los Angeles County.
The couple’s financial support to mom-and-pop shops in their community impacted by COVID-19 has provided small businesses with the funds to survive this season of hardship and bring light and joy back to their neighborhoods. In total, the Bloom Small Business Grant Program awarded $100,000 to 20 businesses that had been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Of those selected, 13 were Long Beach businesses, 12 were owned by women, and 17 were minority-owned.
Restaurants, fitness centers, and personal care salons, heavily hit by the economic crisis, were strongly represented in the Bloom grant recipient pool. Six of the 20 grant recipients were restaurants, five were fitness centers, and four were salons. Small businesses in the Arts and Entertainment sector were also supported by the Bloom Small Business Grant.
Kidz Town Indoor Playground, another Bloom Grant Recipient is a Lakewood indoor playground for children. With state-mandated closures and much of their business dependent on large gatherings and celebrations, Kidz Town’s owner Jonathan Byun was struggling. Closed since March 16, 2020, the business was 9 months behind on rent. “I’m really thankful for the boost this grant provides our business so that we can survive this hardship” Byun said. With the receipt of this grant, Playcenter can begin to recover from the financial crisis and bring cheer to neighborhood children as restrictions lift.
The generous donation of an anonymous local couple has provided these 20 businesses with the hope and means to move forward after a difficult year. TMC Community Capital is proud to support financial relief efforts during this economic crisis, especially for small businesses at the heart of our communities.