BY BILL PARRY
When he took over as the
owner of the New York Mets
for $2.4 billion last fall, Steven
Cohen made a commitment to
community investment in the
neighborhoods surrounding
Citi Field.
On May 24, the team hosted
10 Asian-owned small businesses
at the stadium with
each receiving a $10,000 Back2-
Business grant in support of
their ongoing operations and
continued recovery from the
COVID-10 pandemic, in recognition
of Asian American Pacific
Islander Heritage Month.
“We are proud that our home
in Flushing is also home to
more Asian and Pacific Islander
New Yorkers than any other
neighborhood in the city,” Mets
President Sandy Alderson said.
“These grants will bring awareness
and assist minority-owned
businesses to get back to business.
We also continue to raise
our voices against any form of
anti-Asian violence.”
The businesses were awarded
the grants as a “helping
hand” from Fiserv, a leading
global provider of payments
and financial services technology
solutions. In addition to the
grants, each small business was
presented with a Clover Flex
handheld point-of-sale device
from Fiserv, with built-in capabilities
to accept payments, conduct
business and track sales.
Businesses also received a
customized New York Mets jersey
and tickets to an upcoming
game at Citi Field.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.4 COM | JUNE 4-JUNE 10, 2021
“Minority-owned businesses
continue to be disproportionately
impacted by the effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic, with
many Asian-owned businesses
encountering prejudice in addition
to the economic impact,”
Fiserv Senior Vice President
Mia Shernoff said. “Today’s
grant recipients are pillars in
their local communities, and as
New York reopens we are proud
to play a role in helping them get
back to business.”
The small businesses receiving
grants include Erawan Thai
New York Mets President Sandy Alderson, and Mr. & Mrs. Met,
present $10,000 grants to Asian American small businesses at Citi
Field. Photos courtesy Queens Chamber of Commerce
Cuisine of Bayside, Paul Lim’s
restaurant that has been part
of the Queens community since
1999; Coffee Project of Long Island
City; and Heart of Dinner,
which has been providing meals
for isolated Asian American seniors
in Queens, Brooklyn and
Manhattan since the height of
the pandemic.
“This past year has been
tough for small businesses in
Queens, as we were the epicenter
of this pandemic. As the
most diverse county in America,
minority-owned businesses add
to the unique character of our
neighborhoods, are essential to
our local economy and will play
a pivotal role in our borough’s
recovery,” Queens Chamber of
Commerce President and CEO
Thomas J. Grech said. “The
Fiserv Back2Business program
will help small business owners
get back to doing what they do
best — employing New Yorkers
and serving their communities.
We are incredibly thankful to
Fiserv for their generous support
of these businesses, and to
the entire Mets organization, including
the Cohen family, for all
they’ve done to help the Queens
small business community.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
Mets offer COVID-19 relief grant
to Queens small businesses
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