FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aurora, IL - June 8, 2020 – Invest Aurora, the City of Aurora’s non-profit economic development office, along with the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce are establishing the Restore Aurora Business Relief Program to help businesses clean up and rebuild following the civil unrest that occurred in the region on Sunday, May 31 and Monday, June 1, 2020. The fund will begin accepting financial donations on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, and is expected to start accepting applications from businesses on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
The Restore Aurora Business Relief Program will provide grants to help those businesses recovering from physical damages to their locations. The grants are intended to offset costs not covered by the businesses’ insurance policies. Businesses in both the City of Aurora and the Village of North Aurora will be eligible to apply. Affected businesses will find the application at InvestAurora.org/Restore as well as through the three chambers of commerce.
“Business development resurgence after the recent civil unrest must be met by Aurora’s joint business community using a concerted, coordinated effort to make Aurora Strong a reality and not just a slogan,” said Sherman Jenkins, Chairman of the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce.
Fundraising will be administered through the Invest Aurora Fund at the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley (CFFRV). Community members and other businesses are encouraged to make donations to the fund online. All donations will be tax deductible as a charitable contribution. The first $5,000 raised will be matched by Invest Aurora. Other companies wishing to match community contributions, should contact Invest Aurora at restore@investaurora.org.
“We’ve heard from many businesses and community members over the last week about the challenges they are facing,” said Bryan Gay, president/CEO of Invest Aurora. "Invest Aurora and the three Aurora-based Chambers of Commerce have been hard at work creating a program to facilitate the community’s eagerness to come together.”
Jessica Linder Gallo, president/CEO of the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce added, “We strive to stand with the businesses and the community as One Aurora.”
The emergency in the state of Illinois comes at a time when businesses throughout the region are already suffering as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only have local businesses had to deal with the challenges of closing and reopening, they are now dealing with physical damage. The Restore Aurora Business Relief Program will help aid the recovery process.
“We understand the difficulty businesses are facing, which is why it is so important that we make the application process as simple as possible for business owners,” said Karina Garcia, president/CEO of the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Our goal is to distribute grants to damaged businesses as efficiently as possible to help get them through this difficult time.”
ABOUT INVEST AURORA
Invest Aurora is a 501c3 public/private economic development partnership dedicated to expanding economic opportunities in Aurora, Illinois. The organization is focused on the attraction, retention and promotion of businesses within the City of Aurora, and provides small-business grants and loans through its Finish Line Grant and John C Dunham Revolving Loan programs.
Contact:
Bryan Gay
Invest Aurora
630.256.3161
bryan@investaurora.org
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