Fort Wayne teams up with Brightpoint to offer small businesses COVID-19 assistance

The City’s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services is using $300,000 to create a Small Business Emergency Relief Program that will be administered by Brightpoint.

Relief is coming for small businesses in fort wayne.good evening, hunter petroviak.

Thanks for joining us.

The city says roughly 80 percent of businesses here have fewer than 20 employees.fox 55's brianna dahlquist tells us about a new fort wayne program designed to keep those businesses afloat during the pandemic.

It's not easy to ask for help "everybody's struggling in some way.

Get the help you need, the longer you wait, the further the hole you get and the harder it is to get out and stabilize yourself.but brightpoint ceo steve hoffman says their new partnership with fort wayne will make it easier for small businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.

Just reach out, it can be difficult and i understand that but just reach out because we have services ready."

The city's office of housing & neighborhood services is investing $300,000 from the cares act for the "small business emergency relief program."beginning august 10th the program will provide interest-free loans to businesses with fewer than 30 employees.mayor tom henry says small businesses should jump on this opportunity because the payout could come a lot sooner than a typical loan.

"because of the emergency situation, small businesses can't remain closed or operate very long without access to capital so i know that brightpoint is going to process that money as quickly as possible."henry says one of his top priorities is helping the hospitality industry.

"those are the ones that seem to be getting hurt the most so we're going very hard to make sure they get the money as soon as possible."

Unlike the paycheck protection plan, better known as ppp kelly lundberg, the director of housing and neighborhood services says this loan has double benefits for employers and employees in the summit city.

"we have actually capped this program to try to make sure that we're able to assist those small businesses in fort wayne."

The program is first come first serve lundberg encourages applicants to get your paperwork together now "honestly, we're anticipating the first loan to go out in a couple of weeks."

In fort wayne, i'm brianna dahlquist.

Fox 55 news.

The application process will be open for two weeks, from august 10th through the 24th.

If you would like to see if ?your?

Business qualifies for this loan, call the number on your