Naturally Lewis Announces Emergency Relief Financial Assistance to 11 Local Businesses
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2, 2024
CONTACT: Kaylee Tabolt
Economic & Tourism Development Specialist
Naturally Lewis
Lewis County, NY - Naturally Lewis is pleased to announce that 11 Businesses received financial assistance as a result of our emergency relief initiatives following the July 2024 flooding.
The Naturally Lewis Reboot Fund was made possible through generous donations received via the Naturally Lewis Reboot Donation Portal launched on July 12, 2024 and closed on August 31, 2024. Contributions came from community members, local businesses, corporations, and a generous match from the Lewis County Development Corporation (LCDC); 21% of received donations came from donors outside of New York State. Community support brought the balance of the fund to $89,162.14.
Lewis County, NY businesses were eligible to apply for emergency relief financial assistance once they submitted receipts for any qualifying expenses including equipment, furniture and/or utility replacement, clean-up expenses, and inventory replacement. Submitted expenses were calculated based on our process of equitable distribution, where each business was allocated 54.97% of their total qualified expenses.
- Crave Diner - $1,798.66
- Dimensions Salon - $2,665.94
- DuFlo Agency LLC - $4,906.69
- GrassRoot Meats - $6,032.73
- Lloyds of Lowville - $8,677.10
- Mike's Appliances - $33,561.21
- North Country CPAs - $15,786.41
- Rhonda Vanucchi - $4,457.46
- Young Law Office, PLLC - $11,275.92
The Lewis County Development Corporation allocated $200,000 towards the creation of an Emergency Relief Loan Fund in their Community Economic Development Program. Funds for this program were provided by Number 3 Wind through a Host Community Agreement and a generous donation of $25,000 from Community Bank, NA. The Emergency Loan Fund will be an ongoing fund created for any business that experiences any emergency caused by natural disasters, fires and more. There was one received and approved application for the Emergency Relief Loan Fund:
- Jeb’s Restaurant - $100,000 Loan
The Lewis County Development Corporation also allocated $200,000 from the Vacant Property Revitalization (VPR) Program towards a “Preventative Vacant Property Revitalization Program.” The VPR Program was created in 2023 from ARPA funds, allocated to the LCDC by the Lewis County Board of Legislators, to revitalize vacant properties into usable space. This recent allocation was to prevent vacancies due to the flooding. The LCDC awarded:
- Cedar Bridge Properties – 50% of qualifying expenses, up to $100,000
Applications for the Reboot Fund and Preventative Vacant Property Fund are now closed. The Emergency Loan Fund will be an ongoing program for any business needing assistance due to an emergency. In total, 11 businesses benefitted from programs created by local organizations and donations, with $289,162.12 allocated to local businesses affected by flooding.
About Naturally Lewis, Inc.: Naturally Lewis, Inc. is a nonprofit economic development organization administering services for the County of Lewis Industrial Development Agency, Lewis County Development Corporation, and Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. The mission of Naturally Lewis, Inc. is to champion the growth of a community where people want to live, work, build business, and play.