Memphis, Tenn. (June 5, 2020) – When COVID-19 began to change the world as we know it, Creative Home Academy & Preschool remained open to serve children of parents who had no choice but to work during the pandemic.
It provided a valuable service to many families in the area who needed childcare and kept the business open, but it hasn’t been easy. The owner has had to tap into savings to focus more efforts on health and safety and to cover monthly expenses.
“COVID-19’s impact has been difficult to maneuver,” said Creative Home Academy owner, Constance Cherry. “We have had to figure out ways to survive during a time when we are usually growing enrollment.”
Creative Home Academy & Preschool is one of 10 businesses approved for a NEED Grant by the EDGE Economic Development Finance Committee today. It’s money that will make all the difference as the pandemic takes its toll.
“We thought initially that the bounce back would be quick. Unfortunately, many of the families we serve have suffered layoffs and as a result our enrollment has suffered. This money will help us to offset that,” said Cherry.
Also approved for NEED Grant funds today were:
- Delta Groove Yoga
- A Peace of Mind Salon
- I Am Fitness
- Flashback Inc.
- The Rio Beauty Spa
- Midtown Mirror Beauty Bar
- Spotlight Productions
- Brown’s Barbershop
- Firefly Media LLC
To date, the Committee has awarded $304,000 to 54 businesses throughout Memphis’s most vulnerable neighborhoods; 43 of those are minority and women-owned businesses.
The Neighborhood Emergency Economic Development (NEED) Grant was created to provide relief to small businesses, located in Memphis’ most vulnerable neighborhoods that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
