The Lipton Ice Tea Heartland Hope Rural Relief Small Business Grant Program is helping independendtly owned restaruants and food-related businesses in rural Texas recover from COVID-19 and recent natural disasters with case mirco-grants through its partnership with Rural LISC. Learn more about three of the program's Portraits of Impact.
thecherryontop.com
ABOUT THE BUSINESS Amanda Nuckles has always had a love for the arts and has built her career as a professional photographer. It was, however, a conversation with her husband about her desire to bring something fun to the community that involved painting, that he joked that he would "only support the idea if there was ice cream invovled too."
In January 2020, Nuckles purchaged a historic property a block from the town square in Lampasas, Texas where she planned to immediately renovate and open as a destination art and ice cream sport for families until COVID-19 hit and construction delays ensued. The Cherry on Top offers 24 flavors of ice cream cups, cones, shakes, and floats alongside everything kids and "kids at heart" need to create artistic masterpieces in glaze, paint, and glass pieces.
ABOUT THE GRANT Opening in September 2020, Nuckles still finds it difficult to maintain inventory as she responds to booking for private parties and camps. The Cherry on Top was able to use the Lipton small business grant for inventory and payroll expenses- much to the delight of customers young and young at heart.
fddrugstore.com
ABOUT THE BUSINESS Operating a business in a small town certainly has its perks for the Harrods and their team at Fort davis Drugstore Restaurant & Hotel. Perks include knowing just about all the locals who come in to enjoy traditional homestyle dishes and meeting travelers seeking a unique setting as they travel through the beautiful mountains of Fort Davis, Texas.
The challening side of working in a small town was amplified after visitor restrictions forced the Harrods to cancel hotel reservations for 8 weeks and foot traffic diminished after shutdowns and high corona virus numbers at the one hospital in a three country radius. Impacts felt from COVID-19 amplified the already food-sensitive area and the Harrods ability to support the food program they launched with the help of a local and the district food pantry agency.
Fort Davis Drugstore Restaurant & Hotel specializes in family-friendly dishes made from scratch like the ones from grandma's kitchen. Known for their "Mom's meatloaf" and chicken fried steak, the Harrods and their team are also known for their overall hospitality as they also offer lodging at the Fort Davis, Texas establishment. The hotel side of the business offers six distinct rooms with deck views for short and long-term visitors.
ABOUT THE GRANT While the Fort Davis Drugstore Restaurant & Hotel is a unique destination spot driving business on its own, it was not without impacts from COVID-19. The Lipton small business grant has allowed the Harrods to offset the costs associated with their weekly meal program where they work iwth the area food pantry to provide weekly food baskets for families which include vouchers for daily lunches for local students.
udougs.com
ABOUT THE BUSINESS More than 10 years ago, Victor Morrison made an investment in his rural Texas community by purchasing an empty building that had become a local eye sore. While at the time he couldn't imagine "who would put a restaurant there," his business, Uncle Doug's, quickly became renowned for delicious barbacue, its unique setting and locally-sourced sundry offerings.
Not just a noted smokehouse, Uncle Doug's is also known for its farmer's market featuring local and regional produce, their chocolate factory which is touted for "bean-to-bar" specialty chocolates, and for being situated on 10-acers at McCurdy Park with Johnnie Mae Lake, koi pond and waterfall.
ABOUT THE GRANT After a rough recovery from the pandemic, the team at Uncle Doug's was encouraged by the Lipton small business grant opportunity and was ale to use the funds for payroll. The ability to maintain staff is critical for any small business, but in rural communities adds and additional layer.
Uncle Doug's is a family affair with cousins working as a pitmaster and chocolateier, and Morrison's wife and adult children managing operations. The name itself comes from Morrison's grandfather, N.E. Upshaw. After 99 years living in downtown Douglass, Texas, he bacame known as the "uncle" of the small town.
To access more details on eligibility, grant details or to sign up for application alerts, visit www.lisc.org/rural.
About Lipton Ice Tea Heartland Hope
Lipton Iced Tea is helping independently owned restaurants and food-related businesses in rural Texas recover from COVID-19 and recent natural disasters through its partnership with Rural LISC. Through the Lipton Iced Tea Heartland Hope program, 72 cash grants of $2,500 will be awarded to assist these businesses with short-term needs. The Heartland Hope program is designed to give independently owned restaurants and food-related businesses in rural Texas a quick infusion of cash to help bridge some financial gaps as they chart the course to longer term recovery.
About Rural LISC
Launched in 1995, Rural LISC is the rural component of the largest community development
support organization in the country, LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation). Rural LISC
provides a wide range of services, including financial support, training, technical assistance and information to help rural community service partners and developers address the obstacles specific to rural communities. To date, Rural LISC has leveraged nearly $3.3 billion from public and private sources to produce 35,000 affordable homes and apartments, create 4 million square feet of commercial and community space, assist 700 businesses, create 12,000 jobs and support 20 early childhood centers. By generating resources and investing in the grassroots efforts of its 140+ rural partner community-based organizations in 45 states, Rural LISC is committed to ensuring equity and sustainable resources in rural America. Learn more at www.lisc.org/rural.