Fire in Flushing, Queens. Photo: New York Daily News.
Following a devastating fire in Flushing, Queens, Asian Americans for Equality and its affiliate, Renaissance Economic Development Corp., have announced the establishment of an emergency loan program.
The accidental fire, which broke out in a restaurant Jan. 25, took firefighters hours to bring under control. Flames severely damaged about 15 businesses in a shopping district on Roosevelt Avenue near Main Street in Flushing.
The Downtown Flushing Fire Emergency Loan Program will aid small businesses directly impacted by the blaze. Loans will be made available for emergency purposes, up to $30,000, and at a low interest rate. See the English and Chinese flyers posted below for more information. For additional information. please email: emergency@renaissance-ny.org.
“For a small business,” said AAFE Executive Director Chris Kui, “a fire can mean losing everything, so we want to give these businesses an immediate helping hand and get them back on their feet. This applies for those businesses that were directly affected, but also businesses in the immediate area that might be adversely impacted, too. In difficult times like this, many immigrant and minority-owned small business have a hard time finding access to affordable capital and this program offers very low interest rates and we provide support in multiple languages.”
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, “Accidents like this fire leave small business owners and employees saddened, frustrated, and unsure of how to rebuild. Many of these workers rely on these businesses to pay for rent and feed their families and are unable to produce the thousands of dollars in renovations needed to reopen. The Downtown Flushing Fire Emergency Loan Program can ease the understandable stress the affected business owners are under, by providing funds at a low interest rate. I wish to thank AAFE for their initiative and I look forward to visiting these businesses again when they reopen.”
AAFE announced the emergency fund in Flushing Jan. 26.
