Fort Wayne Businesses respond to City closing grant applications to help during COVID-19

The CARES grant program offered local small businesses and non-profits up to $5,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, but the money only lasted so long.

A fort wayne program created to help local businesses survive during covid-19 and the cold winter months has exhausted its funds.fox 55's mallory beard explains how some businesses used the money and whether more help is coming.

3 paul demaree says he and his wife at firefly do so much more than sell coffee.paul demaree//fire ly co-owner do this business not only for ourselves but for our community.

So when we applied for not just so that we can have more money to go o money ation.

It so we can keep our store open and help the community heal and get through this.irefly is one of more than 200 city businesses that received a cares grants of up to 5- thousand dollars.

They used the money to install a tent outside to create space for social paul demaree//firefly co-owner e had to create spacesult of a partnership between the city allen county and greater fort wayne inc.

But the money only lasted so long.mary tyndall//fort wayne community development efinitely only took less than a month to exhaust $750,000.

Hasn yet confirmed a plan for more grants but it plans to use more federal money if it becomes available.

Andrea robinson//city of fort wayne econ mic development t great to be able to be part of it b heartbreaking that ther so many people that need the money.

Distillery owner??

Greg bercaw says he feels for businesses depending on the grant.

Greg bercaw//three rivers distillehe more people who can apply for and get these types of grants, the bett going to be for our immediate and the future of fort wayne.

The city hasn't confirmed a plan after grant plan after grant plan after confirmed a the city hasn't of fort wayne.

Our immediate going to be for bett grants, the these types of gran going better it to be for our immediate and the future of fort wayne.

The city hasn't confirmed a plan after grant applications close on december first, but they plan to allocate more federal funding as soon it's available.