African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin
Press Release

Greater Milwaukee Foundation Donates $100,000 to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin to Launch COVID-19 Recovery Fund

 

MILWAUKEE (May 28, 2020) –The Greater Milwaukee Foundation donated $100,000 to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (the Chamber) to establish a COVID-19 Recovery Fund. This fund will provide recovery grants of up to $2,000 for small businesses in the community impacted by the pandemic.

Historically, African American small business owners have traditionally faced increased challenges such as smaller cash reserves and difficulty in securing business loans, and many are sole proprietors that are most likely ineligible for most (business) lending options. Federal and State support is valued, but alone is not enough to protect jobs, preserve businesses, and to provide the sense of community we’ve grown accustomed to being for one another.

The Chamber hopes to raise an additional $100,000 for the fund in order to help more community businesses. Said Ossie Kendrix, Chamber President & CEO, “On behalf of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, I am grateful to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for prioritizing the recovery of African American owned businesses as our community struggles to survive the pandemic and its aftermath. Many of our businesses have not been able to apply for or are still waiting for PPP or other federal assistance, so this Recovery Fund will be an infusion of desperately needed resources.”

For more information and to make a contribution to the Recovery Fund, visit the Chamber website at https://www.aaccwi.org/recovery-efforts/covid-19-recovery-fund.

About: the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin champions the growth and sustainability of African American owned businesses by providing access to capital, education and advocacy through capacity building and strategic partnerships.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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