County authorizes $5M for restaurant aid

Rent assistance, shelter, and PPE kits also funded in county COVID response

NORRISTOWN » Nearly $5 million in county economic development funds were made available Thursday for the MontcoStrong 2021 Restaurant Grant Program.

The program was created to assist area restaurants and businesses in the food service industry struggling financially as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr.

County officials authorized transfer of up to $5 million in county economic development funds to the Redevelopment Authority for the MontcoStrong 2021 Restaurant Grant Program

As part of the initiative, grants of up to $10,000 will be distributed to eligible applicants, according to Dean Dortone, Montgomery County’s chief financial officer.

The program stipulates that funds can be used for the following purposes: rent or mortgage payments for a business location, payments for utilities for a business location, purchase of personal protective equipment, and payroll for non-owner employees and or their family members between Jan. 1 and March 5.

According to Lawrence, eligible organizations include a “for profit restaurant, food truck, deli, bakery, brewery, distillery, vineyard, caterer, or other food services for profit entity with a physical location in Montgomery County.”

Lawrence added that those in violation of mandates surrounding COVID-19 pandemic restrictions would not be eligible to apply. He said the program garnered more than 700 applications as of Wednesday, with the application window closing Friday.

“So the word has gotten out, and we look forward to helping as many of our food services owners who really need it,” he said during Thursday’s virtual meeting.

For more information about the application, visit the Montgomery County Commerce Department website at criteria and application through commerce dept. More information is available at www.montcopa. org/commerce.