Sky Kone Cafe owner Jeff Kurth said he received a grant, which he will use to pay employees and purchase supplies. | Facebook
Sky Kone Cafe owner Jeff Kurth said he received a grant, which he will use to pay employees and purchase supplies. | Facebook
Iowa is awarding $24 million in grants to small businesses impacted by COVID-19 throughout the state, some of which is going to Hardin County.
On April 10, over $220,000 was given to 12 businesses in Hardin County, according to KIFG. Some businesses that received the grants are restaurants, bars, coffee shops and clothing and furniture stores.
Jeff Kurth, owner of Sky Kone Cafe in Ackley, said he received a $6,928 grant, which is meant to help his business with cash flow for about the next month, according to KIFG.
“It’s definitely (needed)," Kurth told KIFG. "As tight as things were with the restaurant, especially our kind. There’s not a lot of high profit and taking us out like they did pretty much sunk the ship.”
Kurth said he'll use the money to pay his employees and buy some other necessities.
"I would need to buy the perishable stuff we used right off the bat, because as soon as they closed us all that went bad, so we’d use it to purchase stuff like that," Kurth told KIFG. "Then my rent, utilities, just the basic stuff."
The Economic Emergency Fund and the Iowa Economic Development Authority funded the grants, according to KIFG. Originally, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced $4 million in grants, but the price was increased to $24, KIFG reported.
Kurth told KIFG he's thankful for the program, especially since it came at a time when it was needed.
“I just think it’s a good thing and gosh knows I needed it," he said.
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