QDC offering grants for virus-impacted businesses

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 4/2/20

Quitman business owners will be able to get financial help through a program established by the Quitman Development Corporation. The program hopes to aid them during these tough days of closings, …

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QDC offering grants for virus-impacted businesses

Posted

Quitman business owners will be able to get financial help through a program established by the Quitman Development Corporation. The program hopes to aid them during these tough days of closings, social distancing and people staying home.

The QDC met in a special emergency teleconference Sunday night to discuss what the organization could do to help Quitman businesses. The money will be in the form of a grant not a loan. 

Board members for the teleconference were Martha Scroggins, Randy Dunn, Kevan Kerr, David Dobbs, Greg Eberhart and Brad Medlin. Business owner Clay Luttrell was also tuned in.

“We only have one topic to discuss which is the emergency funding for existing businesses challenged by the COVID-19 virus,” Scroggins said. “We have a lot of our businesses that have been impacted. You walk around downtown and go in an establishment and they don’t have anyone shopping and some of them are really taking an economic hit. We don’t have a lot of money, but maybe we can have an emergency response to help. I know the federal government is going to get some assistance out. But it might be three or four weeks, or even longer. I think it is our mission for everyone to get some kind of short-term assistance.” 

The motion made by Medlin stated, “I’ll make the motion that we approve what we talked about in the workshop of offering $500 worth of gift cards or a $300 grant not to exceed $9,999 pending approval from the city attorney.” Dobbs made the second and the board approved unanimously.

Scroggins wants to get the process started immediately. “We just want our local businesses to know we care about them and want to help them if we can. I just want to be able to provide some financial assistance to our business community,” Scroggins explained. “We don’t have a lot of money to do that, but we have enough to be able to do something and I really want it to be done quickly. We can’t drag this out, people are needing help now.”

If a business owner is interested they can mail their business card with a note designating the name of the business, business address, key contact, key contact phone number, key contact email and designate preference for $300 cash or $500 in gift cards.

Place the information in the drop box at City Hall located at 401 E. Goode Street or mail to Quitman Development Corporation, P.O. Box 1855, Quitman, TX 75783. The applications will be processed in the order received.