To Watch Mayor Warren's visit to Candado Bar and Grill click here>>
Partnership with ROC Holiday Village, community sponsors one of many successful pandemic-relief programs already underway
~Expanded outdoor dining options now available in every quadrant~
(Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren announced today that 25 city restaurants are now hosting free Winter Greenhouses as part of the City’s latest, and most visible, pandemic-relief program to support Rochester’s small businesses and prepare the city for a full and equitable recovery.
“I want to thank these restaurant owners and community partners for getting our Winter Greenhouses out of the gate and on the street so quickly, said Mayor Warren. “These greenhouses are a visual example of the growing list of programs and services we’ve developed and launched since the start of the pandemic to provide our residents and employers much-needed support. This program is yet another demonstration of our commitment to deliver an equitable recovery as we create more jobs, safer, more vibrant and affordable neighborhoods and better educational opportunities.”
The City’s Winter Greenhouse program was launched in partnership with Roc Holiday Village with the support of the Rochester Area Community Foundation, ESL Federal Credit Union and other sponsors to provide restaurants a way to expand seating capacity temporary outdoor dining options during the coronavirus pandemic.
The greenhouses were distributed by lottery in every city quadrant to support small business owners and their employees, while providing stability to commercial corridors and business districts across the city.
With all 25 greenhouses now installed, Mayor Warren marked the beginning of the program Thursday by visiting the greenhouse at Condado Bar and Grill, 2260 Clifford Ave., with restaurant owner Juana Ruiz.
The greenhouse program is now part of growing a collection of new and existing programs tailored to provide valuable information and resources to residents and businesses at every level of the economic spectrum as they confront the shifting landscape of the coronavirus outbreak.
They include:
Small Business and Resident Support
Business Emergency Retention Grants:
Almost immediately after the start of the pandemic, the City’s Department of Neighborhood and Business and Development (NBD) quickly and effectively injected millions of dollars in federal stimulus funds into the economy in the form Business Emergency Retention Grants. The funds are used help to businesses cover short-term expenses. NBD processed 965 applications and distributed more than $2.4 million to local businesses. The grants are closed but an additional $500,000 is being appropriated later this month.
ORDER Grant, E-Commerce Support
In December, NBD launched the Online Resources Delivering Excellent Results (ORDER) provides grants to businesses seeking to develop or upgrade their capacity for E-commerce, which has become more important during the pandemic. NBD provided $100,000 in ORDER grants to 20 business. The grant is now fully enrolled.
Senior Meal Delivery Program
The NBD is now in its second phase of Senior Meal Delivery Program, which uses a new Restaurant Grant to provide free meal delivery to city seniors with transportation challenges. The program supports a vulnerable population and provides restaurants with new revenue stream. As of January, the program provided meals to 2,841 seniors and will infuse $900,000 into the local economy.
Kiva Rochester Loan Expansion:
Kiva expanded access to its crowdfunded, interest-free loans to provide much-needed financing to small businesses, many of which face structural inequalities and have difficulty getting loans from traditional lenders. Since its launch, Kiva facilitated 122 loans that average $5,650 to 115 borrowers, totaling $689,525 – much of which in Rochester’s most challenged neighborhoods.
Jump Starting ROC
The City launched a unique website to facilitate the opening of Rochester’s economy with up-to-date information about the pandemic and the City’s response to evolving information. The site includes a “Shop the ROC” mapping application to help residents know which businesses are open
Homelessness Prevention
City Landlord Grants
These grants provided 62 landlords with funds to repair their rental units and prevent downturns in city’s inventory of safe, quality and affordable housing. The City has also partners with Rochester’s human-service sector to provide legal assistance to tenants during evictions, which threatens to overwhelm the community’s housing support systems when the state and federal moratoriums are lifted.
Eviction Prevention
The City has dedicated $12.5 million in the federal funds to various eviction prevention efforts, with $10.2 million dedicated to direct rent assistance.
Supporting Children and Families
Bridging the Digital Divide
The City used a portion of its federal stimulus funds to deliver 2,900 laptops to Rochester City School children to support learning in a remote, digital environment.
Meal Distribution and Learning Centers
When the RCSD school buildings were closed, the City converted several R-Centers to meal distribution centers as part of a partnership with FoodLink and the RCSD. Since school resumed in September, some R-Centers also hosted Learning Labs, where children could receive in-person educational support from RCSD staff. More than 1.9 million meals have been delivered so far.
Protect Your Circle and Mask Distribution
To support all city residents and visitors help reverse a disproportionate infection rate of COVID-19 among minorities, the City launched a targeted ad campaign in challenged neighborhoods and beyond encouraging residents to “Protect Your Circle,” by wearing masks and observing social distancing guidelines. The City also distributed more than 100,000 face masks directly to city households and neighborhood grocery stores.
Flower City Sidewalks and Flower City Winter Sidewalks
The City helped restaurants expand their outdoor dining capacity with waived permit fees and a facilitated application process.
Financial Empowerment Center
The City’s Office of Community Wealth Building launched a Financial Empowerment Center to provide free, professional counseling and coaching on such topics budgeting, establishing savings and managing debt. Since February 2020, the FEC has provided support to 775 residents.
City of Rochester Public Market
In order to ensure that all city residents have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce food waste, the Public Market has remained open on regular Market days during every phase of the pandemic. With support from Friends of the Market, the Market enables residents to use their SNAP benefits to buy Market products.
Confronting Challenge with Innovation
Mayor Warren said she’s proud of the cooperation and creativity that has made it possible to develop and launch so many programs almost simultaneously and with such success.
“There’s an African Proverb that says the crooked wood reveals the best sculptor,” Mayor Warren said. “Likewise, this pandemic has revealed Rochester’s historic resolve and ability to confront challenge with innovation. Every day brings another heartbreak – and another sign of hope. When I look at these accomplishments, and what this city is capable of, I become more confident and more determined to make sure we emerge from this crisis in a position of strength to finally deliver true equality and access to opportunity for every resident.
For a complete list of the restaurants with free, winter greenhouses, visit rocholidayvillage/wintergreenhouses
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