KEYPORT – Members of the Keyport Borough Council have authorized a second round of funding to assist businesses that have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total distribution of funds to $228,818.
On Jan. 19, council members passed a resolution authorizing the awarding of grants to 35 businesses in the Keyport Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) district. The grants ranged from $1,800 to $9,500 to provide direct mortgage, rent or utility cost assistance to qualified businesses; to fund the distribution of personal protective equipment and other activities and equipment to support NPP businesses; and to cover program administration costs.
According to municipal officials, 28 of the 35 businesses participated in the first round of grants, which were awarded in November, and seven new businesses applied for grants in the second round of funding.
A total of 42 businesses participated in the first round, according to borough officials. Two of the previous participants returned their grants (one sought another grant, the other could not supply payment documentation), and 12 participants either declined, did not reply or could not provide required documentation.
Funding was provided through the Neighborhood Preservation Program COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Grant Program, which is run by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
According to the resolution, municipal officials applied for pandemic relief funds to support qualified small businesses in the NPP.
Keyport received a supplemental grant of $225,000 from the state, which increased to $228,818 with the grants that were returned by the two businesses, according to the resolution.
The businesses that joined the program in the second round, according to borough officials, were Nature’s Plate, Total Tax Service LLC, Corrigan Law and Keyport Deli Casting Spoon LLC, which each received $9,500; LNL Reality, which received $9,000; AM Productions, which received $2,200; and Calabrese’s Barber Shop, which received $2,018.
Among the 28 businesses returning from the first round were Super-Dog Grooming LLC, Timber Hill Associates LLC (Burlew’s), Magic Touch, Nicken 5 LLC (Uncle Louie G), Keyport Liquor 56 Inc., New Jupiter Media Inc., Marla A. Dunn (Fast Copy Printing Center), Uptown Keyport Bar & Grill LLC, Broken Heart Tattoos LLC, Villagio Pizza Corp Italian Touch, Mind & Muscle Gymm LLC (Real Gymm), Supreme Soul Healing and Learning Center, Stress Free Body, Clementine’ Emporium, Nemo Inc., Keyport Pizza and Rest Inc., 100 W. Front LLC (Gerber Salon), The Bread Collective, LLC (Planet Bagel), Safe Flag, and Buensuerte Inc. (Tropico Mexican Restaurant), which each received $7,250.
Other returning businesses were Keyport Beauty Center LLC and Paws R Us LLC, which each received $6,250; Kantor and Linderroth, which received $6,000; Comfort Care Home Healthcare, which received $3,700; 3 Broads Market Corp (Funhouse), which received $3,400; Taboo Tattoos, which received $3,200; CRS Consulting, which received $2,000; and Beauty Sleep Lash Lounge, which received $1,800.