Nearly 100 Small Businesses Awarded Dream Maker Funds So Far

The Blue Moon Restaurant, 1129 Page Ave., was recently awarded $3,000 from the Dream Maker Emergency Relief Fund – helping small businesses in Jackson County affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV News.

By Jeff Steers
JTV News

(April 1, 2020 4:09 PM) Like most small businesses, Blue Moon Café has been struggling for business since the governor Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave the “stay safe, stay home” order 10 days ago because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Page Avenue business had to lay off nearly all of its employees and cut hours.

Owner Janine Salievski said the company been helped by a local Dream Maker Small Business Emergency Relief Fund. One million dollars was donated by Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe and her husband Eric.

The money was donated to the Jackson Community Foundation to set up the Dream Maker Small Business Emergency Relief Fund. Funding will be providing grants to businesses through The Enterprise Group, Jackson County’s economic development agency.

As of today, nearly 100 grants have been approved, providing more than $361,000 in relief to applicants. These funds are intended solely to bridge the gap in the coming weeks to help businesses survive until they can secure additional assistance from the state and federal government.

“In big ways or small, we all have a responsibility to care for our communities,” Patti Poppe said in a press release when the relief fund was announced. “We’re fortunate to be able to contribute in such a big way and hope to see others in Michigan take similar actions as we all come together by staying apart in the weeks ahead.”

A representative at the Jackson Community Foundation said there is still time to apply, but 468 applicants have requested nearly $2 million in funding so far.

Salievski said she was surprised at the quick response from the program. The longtime business owner applied for the grant on Monday and had a check in her hand for $3,000 in two days.

The maximum amount of each grant is $5,000.

“I am trying to make the money stretch right now,” Salievski said. “I want to thank Patti Poppe and her husband for helping local people.”

Eligibility criteria for funding are: Companies must be in Jackson County and be a small for-profit business with 50 or fewer employees; locally-owned franchises of chains are included, but corporate-owned stores are not; should have a physical location in Jackson County where employees report for work; must demonstrate how they will utilize this gap grant; and
must submit enclosed budget template and most recent tax return if asked.

Salievski said Blue Moon Café has cut its hours to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The owner said she is running a number of specials at 1129 Page Ave. Customers are asked to call 517-748-9200 for takeout orders only.

Poppe said the fund is accepting donations from the public. To learn more, go to www.DreamMakerFund.org.