DoorDash steps up to help Jersey Shore businesses rebuild after Hurricane Erin

💰 Jersey Shore mom-and-pop shops affected by Hurricane Erin can apply for help

💰 DoorDash is offering them grants to help them get back on their feet

💰 Small businesses have until Sept. 29 to apply

Small businesses at the Jersey Shore that suffered damage from Hurricane Erin last week may be eligible for a grant from DoorDash to help them get back on their feet.

Most of these mom-and-pop shops affected by the hurricane were located in Jersey Shore communities, particularly in low-lying bayfront areas and places with extensive beach damage such as Beach Haven, Atlantic City, Margate, Ocean City, and Sea Isle City.

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The Local Business Disaster Relief Fund

Erin and other natural disasters can bring small businesses to a halt. That’s why DoorDash is expanding its 2021 Local Business Disaster Relief Fund to help these restaurants, grocers, florists, pet stores, liquor stores, and bakeries recover.

“At DoorDash, our mission is to empower local economies, and we know that when disaster hits, small businesses of all kinds like those on the Jersey Shore face all types of challenges as they recover, and that really does have, sort of a ripple effect on entire communities,” said Maggie Polachek, social impact manager at DoorDash.

Building on the success of DoorDash’s Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund, which has awarded over $2.5 million in grants to more than 250 restaurants since 2021, DoorDash is expanding eligibility to include even more small businesses affected by federal and state-declared natural disasters, Polachek said.

The Grants

Eligible small businesses can now apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, Polachek said.

The grants are awarded four times per year based on need and the extent of damage incurred to help cover costs of rent, inventory, utilities, and so much more.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a DoorDash grant, affected businesses must have the following:

1. At least one brick-and-mortar location, but no more than three that have been opened for at least six months before the disaster.
2. Fewer than 50 employees per business
3. Under $3 million in revenue per location
4. The federal or state-declared disaster must have happened within the last year

How to Apply

Polachek said that small businesses can apply here.

Applications are granted on a rolling basis. The next deadline to apply is Sept. 29 to get funding soon.

However, if businesses miss the deadline because they are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Erin, Polachek said there will be other opportunities to apply in the future.

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