By Lauren Anderson -Jun 5, 2020 11:26 am 

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has donated $100,000 to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin to establish a COVID-19 recovery fund. 

The fund will provide recovery grants of up to $2,000 for small businesses in the community affected by the pandemic.

The program is designed to address the challenges often faced by African American small business owners, including smaller cash reserves and difficulty in securing business loans. 

“On behalf of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, I am grateful to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for prioritizing the recovery of African American owned businesses as our community struggles to survive the pandemic and its aftermath,” Ossie Kendrix, Chamber president and chief executive officer. “Many of our businesses have not been able to apply for or are still waiting for PPP or other federal assistance, so this Recovery Fund will be an infusion of desperately needed resources.” 

The chamber, which includes about 225 members, aims to raise another $100,000 for the fund to support more businesses.

“Federal and state support is valued, but alone is not enough to protect jobs, preserve businesses, and to provide the sense of community we’ve grown accustomed to being for one another,” the chamber said in a news release. 

More information about the recovery fund is available here.