By Tangerine Clarke
Small businesses in Flatbush,
central Brooklyn, are
being thrown a lifeline, thanks
to Flatbush Thrives, a collective,
helping local business
owners to navigate federal,
state and local programs to
survive during, and after the
Covid-19 crisis.
Founder Maya Wiley, who
served as counsel to the Mayor
of New York City, Bill de Blasio,
told Caribbean Life via phone,
that along with Justin Hendrix,
executive director of NYC
Media Lab, they are partnering
with experts to help businesses
access resources available to
them.
The program, started specifically
in answer to the Covid
-19, pandemic, to assist, businesses
in low-income communities,
has created a volunteer
network of business leaders
and professionals with backgrounds
in business, accounting,
grant writing, government
procurement, law and other
related fields to assist, Flatbush
businesses.
Businesses are guided
through a process to access
resources best suited to their
needs, in order for them maintain,
Caribbean L 6 ife, May 15-21, 2020
and grow their establishment
with the help of trained
volunteers, who, according to
Wiley want to give back to their
community.
Both volunteers and business
owners are asked to signup
through the www.flatbushthrive.
org website, to get
the process started.
“We are a team of collaborative
volunteer advisors from
across the community ready
to help you find money and
support, said the website, with
information, both in French
Kreyol and Spanish.
“If we don’t have the support
and programs to help our
businesses, or ways to access
these programs, we would not
get the loans available to us,”
according to Wiley, who further
explained, that she and
Hendrix come from different
angles, but they work for central
Brooklyn, understanding
how hard it was for small businesses
to survive in the community
when the pandemic hit.
Many of these businesses, she
added, have been shuttered.
Wiley, a civil rights activist,
is working along with Senator
Kevin Parker’s office, as well as
Councilmember Farah Louis,
and Assemblywoman Rodneyse
Bichotte, who have suggested
multi languages such as
French Kreyol and Spanish to
include all of the community.
Assemblywoman Rodneyse
Bichotte, said, “As our small
businesses in Flatbush continues
to struggle, I am depending
on business organizations such
as Flatbush Thrive in providing
resources to help these business
back on their feet during
the coronavirus pandemic,”
according to the website.
“It is important that our
local economies thrive. I look
forward to working with Flatbush
Thrives to help these
small businesses navigate
through the resources available
Maya Wiley. https://en.wikipedia.org
from the federal, state, and
city government entities.”
“I am proud to work alongside
Maya Wiley and Flatbush
Thrives to ensure that our
small businesses are connected
to the resources available to
them during these challenging
times,” said Senator Kevin
Parker.
“I applaud the business professionals
and larger community
who are making this initiative
possible through volunteering
their time, and service
to support the engines that
keep our community running,
our small businesses, adding,
“I applaud Flatbush Thrives for
their timely arrival in Central
Brooklyn, and for the courage
of their leaders to step up when
our community needs them
the most,” he said.
Flatbush Thrives helping
small businesses survive
AndrewSorrentinofuneralservice.com
/en.wikipedia.org
/www.flat-bushthrive.org
/www.flat-bushthrive.org
/www.flat-bushthrive.org
/en.wikipedia.org
/AndrewSorrentinofuneralservice.com