Seven Beacon Hill businesses are among the recipients of the initial round of funding from the city’s Small Business Relief Fund.
La Carte Massage by Toe2Heal, Black Ink, Inc., bonne chance café, North Station Barbers, Ouimillie, Suds N Duds and Weston Eyecare, LLC (d.b.a. Yosemite Eyewear) were among 561 businesses to receive a total of $2 million in funding through the program.
“The Small Business Relief Fund grants are critical to help struggling small businesses across the city address challenges brought on by COVID-19,” Mayor Martin Walsh said in a statement. “These businesses are the backbone of our economy, and the lifeblood of our communities. I’m proud we are able to assist them during this time, and am grateful to our partners who have stepped up in a big way to support Boston’s neighborhood business community.”
Moreover, 58 percent of the businesses receiving grants through the program are owned by people of color while 48 and 44 percent are owned by women immigrants, respectively. And 95 percent went to businesses with 15 or fewer employees. The top 10 zip codes with the most recipients were East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Brighton, South End, Dorchester, Roslindale and Roxbury.
An additional $5.5 million in funding is being added to fully fund all eligible grant requests submitted during the application process, which combines newly available federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development; as well as commitments from Citizens Bank and Eastern Bank, according to Mayor Walsh’s office.