When businesses in Monroe County were told to shut down and eliminate the number of customers inside their business, the Monroe County Commissioners were quick to act.

“We knew we needed to get the word out to small businesses and nonprofits and others who qualified for a grant under the CARES Act,” said Commissioner John Moyer.

The CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund and allowed eligible local governments to apply for grant funds to help local small businesses, nonprofits and other struggling entities.

The guidelines for the grants came out June 2020, and the commissioners immediately reviewed the guidelines for who would be eligible for a grant.

“When we reviewed the guidelines that were sent to us, it was pretty clear the monies could be spent on a number of different endeavors,” he said.

The commissioners received 150 applications on the first round of grants.

“Each grant was limited to $50,000, and the reason was we wanted to help out as many people as we could,” Moyer said.

The grants did not just go to businesses, it also went to nonprofits, such as fire departments, libraries and community outreach programs.

Breathing room

Not only did business owners have the expenses of operating their businesses, they also had to comply with the guidelines for making the environment safe for customers or clients.

Kimberly Gross, owner of Mountain Dance Co., a community-based dance studio in Pocono Lake, said the grant saved her dance studio.

“I am a new business, just about a year now,” she said. I was doing great, but when everything was shut down, I started to panic,” she said.

Just by luck she said, “My girlfriend saw on Facebook about applying for a grant and told me. I only had three days to get the paperwork together or I would miss the deadline for applying,” Gross said.

Somehow, I managed to get all the tax papers and all the other papers I needed and made the deadline,” she said.

Gross did get $20,391.43 and said that she will be ever thankful for the help the commissioners gave her.

“I finally began to sleep through the night again, because I could pay some of the bills,” Gross said.

It was costly to get the dance studio up to the requirements for opening, especially because mostly she teaches dance to young children.

Just to do the social distancing, she had to buy an extra 60 feet of ballet barre and cut them into smaller links. She also had to buy an HVAC HEPA filter air cleaner, and that is just a small amount of what was done to keep her doors open.

“I know I am fortunate that I did get a grant and I try to stay positive, because I know it could be much worse.”

So far, the commissioners have given out approximately $14 million in CARES Act grants.

Moyer said people who have received grants have voiced appreciation to the commissioners for undertaking this project.