Crowdfunding Campaign for Outdoor Seating in JP

JP Centre/South Main Streets has partnered with JP Local First and Patronicity to launch a crowdfunding campaign to support business reopening and recovery efforts. These funds will facilitate outdoor seating options for our businesses and save them from further financial burden. This campaign is an excellent opportunity to adapt outdoor spaces to support local businesses, build social cohesion, and enable people to follow social distancing guidelines. The fundraising campaign, which has a goal of $40,000, is LIVE NOW and scheduled to run through July 22, 2020.

patronicity.com/jpcsms2020/

Due to COVID-19, local businesses are faced with the challenge of pivoting their operations to comply with health regulations during what should be a busy Summer season. Our businesses are already struggling to stay in operation and pay their staff. They need assistance to continue to operate and bring back their customer capacity.

Helping Local Businesses Adapt & Reopen
“As a resident of Hyde Square, a co-founder of City Feed and Supply, and a co-founder of JP Local First, I am always looking for effective ways to preserve, protect and grow the unique business ecosystem we have here in this great neighborhood. Some of the most effective work I have been able to do over the last twenty years has involved working with great local organizations like Main Streets. When people and organizations work together, our impact increases exponentially. At different times, we all could use a little help from our friends and neighbors. This is one of those times,” said local business leader and resident David Warner.

Funds generated by the crowdfunding campaign will be used to:

• partner with local designers, businesses, and residents to develop and implement a vision to transform underutilized spaces into community assets
• provide technical and financial assistance so employees, residents, and visitors can benefit from practical outdoor dining spaces that are safe, beautiful, and inviting
• obtain materials and signage to support health, safety, and sanitation
• provide spaces that are accessible to people of all ages and abilities
• increase greenery and beautify our urban environment
• and more!

Creating a Unified Vision
We are working with Samuel Maddox and Braxton Tanner of make/do studio to develop independent seating templates for businesses, which suggest a cohesive network of outdoor dining "rooms" when combined in our Main Streets district. They are employing a Wentworth Institute of Technology undergraduate architecture student to assist with design and production of these schematic drawings. We appreciate Community Outreach Group Design (COGdesign) for assistance getting this initiative off the ground.

Supporting Local Businesses, Building Community
This initiative is about community and the local economy. We are working with local businesses such as ACE Hardware City and Allandale Farm on sourcing materials. Some of the businesses in JP Centre/South Main Streets that are pursuing outdoor dining include:
Cafe Beirut, Casa Verde, City Feed and Supply, FoMu, JPizle Kitchen/Columbiana, Little Dipper, Monumental Market, Purple Cactus, The Jeanie Johnston Pub, Tres Gatos, and Vee Vee.

About Our Organization
JP Centre/South Main Streets is a volunteer-driven, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to guide the growth of Jamaica Plain's Centre and South Streets' business district through the active collaboration of residents, business owners, and others committed to a community-led initiative. In partnership with Boston Main Streets, we provide a direct conduit to the City of Boston and can provide technical assistance to help new businesses succeed.