Julie Kushner helped restaurant stay open

When the coronavirus shutdown happened, I didn’t know if my restaurant, La Mitad del Mundo, would survive. Like other small business owners, we weren’t prepared for anything like this. No one was.

To make matters worse, when the government came out with the PPP grants, they were supposed to be for small businesses, but I was told applications were closed before I had a chance to apply. My bank said wait for the next time. It was rough, but I checked with my bank regularly. Then the announcement came, there’s more money going out. I called, and once again, I was told they weren’t taking any more applications. I wanted to survive, but I wasn’t sure I could make it.

Then, I heard from my state Senator, Julie Kushner. She wanted to know how I was doing — when I told her my story, she jumped into action, connecting me with a local bank and City Councilman Farley Santos. With their help, I received a grant. This money, while it wasn’t a lot, made the difference between staying open and closing.

I met Sen. Kushner when she was running for office in 2018. She made a commitment then to represent everyone in Danbury, and she has done it. I’m especially pleased with her involvement in the Latino community. She attends our events, reaches out to people in need and helps connect us to resources.

While running a restaurant during the pandemic is still hard, I have comfort in knowing that there are local officials who are accessible and willing to help during a time of crisis. On Nov. 3, I will be voting for state Sen. Julie Kushner for her accessibility, and genuine willingness to care in a time of need.

Wilson Hernandez Danbury