Grant Helps Bed-Stuy Yoga Studio Rebound From Coronavirus Crisis

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — A Bed-Stuy yoga company was among 50 New York City small businesses to get a boost rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic with week.

The Citizens Committee for New York City revealed small businesses throughout the five boroughs that received a piece of its $400,000 in grant money, aimed at helping business owners recover from the coronavirus crisis.

In Brooklyn, six businesses got a "neighborhood grant" worth up to $10,000, including Locale, which runs yoga and holistic health services in Bed-Stuy. The company runs And Yoga studio on Nostrand Avenue.

"After COVID-19 forced both of its studios to close down, it had to give up one of its two studios and lost many of its members," according to Citizens Committee. "Through the grant, the business is adapting its larger studio and hiring staff to host safe socially distanced classes."

Citizens' grant program prioritized businesses owned by people of color, women and immigrants.

According to a report by the organization, two-thirds of neighborhood business applicants came from women-owned businesses, the majority come from applicants who self-identified as a person of color and more than half were from first or second generation households.

"From Queensbridge to Far Rockaway and the South Bronx, we recognize the disparities that our underserved communities face, but we also believe in people power and that we are more than capable of rebuilding our city again,” said Citizens CEO Dr. Rahsaan Harris.

Citizens plans to open applications for another grant program in 2021.