A group of small business owners and community activists in Atlanta are calling on city leaders to provide financial relief during a water crisis in the city. The group, comprised of representatives from various organizations including the Black Futurists Group, met with the Atlanta City Council on Monday to propose the establishment of the Atlanta Small Business Water Crisis Relief Fund. Devin Barrington-Ward, representing the Black Futurists Group, suggested an emergency ordinance with an initial budget of $5 million to assist businesses that have been left without water following recent water main breaks.
Barrington-Ward explained that many impacted business owners have reported significant financial losses due to the water crisis, affecting their ability to cover essential costs such as payroll and rent. The proposed relief fund would offer up to $10,000 for small businesses and up to $25,000 for medium-sized businesses to help offset these losses. Trinket Lewis, co-founder of MoreLyfe Juice Co. in southwest Atlanta, shared that her business has experienced a significant decrease in sales and operational challenges due to reduced water pressure.
The group emphasized that the funding for the relief fund could potentially come from various sources, including city budget allocations, state and federal emergency relief funds, and private donations and grants. They stressed the urgent need for financial support to help small and medium-sized businesses impacted by the water crisis in Atlanta.
During the meeting with city council members, Barrington-Ward also highlighted some of the long-term effects of this crisis on small businesses. He stated that many small business owners are struggling with cash flow issues due to reduced revenue streams caused by customer footfall being severely affected by this crisis.
Lewis added that her business has had to invest heavily in temporary solutions like building rainwater harvesting systems just so they can keep their doors open. She stated that it’s not just about covering immediate expenses but also about long term sustainability of these businesses.
The group concluded their meeting by stating that time is of utmost importance when it comes to providing financial relief during a crisis like this one. They urged city leaders to act swiftly and decisively in order to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses can weather this storm without significant financial hardship.
In conclusion, a group of small business owners and community activists are calling on city leaders to provide financial relief during a water crisis in Atlanta. The proposed emergency ordinance aims at providing much needed support for small businesses which have been left without water following recent water main breaks. The funding for this relief fund could potentially come from various sources including city budget allocations
