The Business Integra 4Sq Small Business Support

Business Integra (BI) has started a GoFundMe page in order to help people and small businesses in the DC Metro area that have been impacted by COVID-19. BI will donate funds and its administration capabilities to evaluate, manage and distribute support to those identified for assistance. BI invites its friends, partners, employees and all it’s stakeholders to join in this effort to make a positive difference and to be a part of the solution and the community that is fighting back. You can contribute time, money and expertise as you see fit. You can even help us in selecting the right people and businesses to support.

 Our local businesses are the heart and soul of our communities. They are now facing a crisis due to social distancing and government-mandated shutdowns.  This is   disproportionately affecting small businesses (retail and professional) that desperately need daily customers to survive and keep their employees employed. Whether it’s the corner ice cream store, pizzeria or nail salon – they all depend on us.  

The Business Integra Support to Save Struggling Small Businesses (4Square) fundraising campaign will provide grants to qualifying small businesses who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund will provide financial assistance and support to businesses across our area to keep their doors open - with our main goal to help the employees of these businesses.  100 percent of the money we are raising will be used to assist those hardest hit small businesses. 

Please consider supporting and, or making a donation in the name of your hairdresser, or maybe your favorite waiter at the local pizza joint…. Every dollar will help.  Of course, these contributions are voluntary and no employee should feel obligated to participate.   

 As a fun incentive, we are offering to fund some of the businesses we support with you as the customer, whether it is a meal at a restaurant, a haircut with your stylist or whatever. It will be part of the support they are getting. Prathiba and Selva, the owners of BI will also join you if you like. There will be multiple of these prizes, with the largest one going to the highest contributor (in case of a tie, we will have a drawing). You can even pick the local business (once reopened).  We will also provide a free lunch to the highest contributing team should people donate as part of a group.             
 
We have started gathering information on small businesses to receive assistance from this fund.  The selected businesses will be announced soon.   Do you know of a small business who you would like to nominate for our funds?  Please let us know!  Once they pass the complete vetting process, they will be considered for a portion of the funds too.  The funds will be distributed equally with a check presented to each business.  
 

If you have any questions about our campaign, please feel free to reach out to us at hr@businessintegra.com. 


Letter from our CEO

Support to Save Struggling Small  Businesses (4Square)


Dear BI Employees, Consultants, Customers, Partners, Friends, and Well-Wishers:

The economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to make or break many small businesses in the United States and around the globe.

Today Selva and I are requesting the support of those of you who can extend your hand to help and sustain struggling small businesses around DC Metro Area during this unprecedented crisis. Sales are dropping dramatically for most small businesses, while companies are trying to keep their employees as well as to make ends meet for their loved ones.  

As you may know, small businesses have a tremendous impact on the local and the national economy. Small businesses create more jobs than large companies. In fact, according to the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR), $10 million in sales at Amazon supports <20 jobs, whereas the same sales volume at small retail stores supports >50 jobs.

According to Forbes, about 30 million small businesses across the United States are in trouble, with half that number blaming the pandemic for revenue decline.

Remember, individuals who get laid off in today’s current economic environment will be hard-pressed to find another job, not to mention losing one’s health benefits when they are needed the most. 

This week we’re launching a campaign Support to Save Struggling Small Businesses (4Square) on GoFundMe. Depending on how much we raise, we aim to help local small businesses (less than ten employees) who are in financial distress. We plan to provide grants up to $1,000 for up to 2 months to help with critical bills like lease payments, utility bills, rent, etc. so that they can sustain during this unprecedented time. It is our commitment - every dollar we raise will go to help small businesses.

To start, Selva and I are donating $10,000.00 each against a modest goal to raise $50,000.00.

With the financial markets in disarray, I can understand the financial difficulties we have at this time. The current events have inspired us to help our community to the maximum extent possible. We hope that you too are able and motivated to assist in this cause as well. Together, we can do our part in sustaining the community we live in and support the economy by supporting the critical small businesses that employ our friends and neighbors.

My humble Thank You to all of you!

Prathiba Ramadoss, CEO, Business Integra, Inc