Over 1,500 Area Small Businesses Helped by Pandemic Relief

Saint Cloud, MN, USA / KNSI

Aug 4, 2022 | 3:25 PM

The Initiative Foundation

(KNSI) – The Initiative Foundation is celebrating a milestone in COVID-19 pandemic relief.

More than 1,500 small businesses across central Minnesota have gotten help after suffering through the economic pain of forced closures and supply chain problems since 2020. In total, the group has handed out over $16 million in grants to mom-and-pop shops through a collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

President Matt Varilek says the Initiative Foundation has increased the amount of awards by around 450% compared to a normal two-year period thanks to the pandemic relief partnership.

The Initiative Foundation serves a 14-county area including Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright Counties.

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