Vending

NAMA applauds SBA's clarification on eligibility for COVID relief

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April 23, 2021

The National Automatic Merchandising Association has commended the U.S. Small Business Administration's clarification on what businesses qualify for Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, which help businesses seeking relief from COVID-19.

In March, Carla Balakgie, president and CEO of the NAMA, wrote a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration asking for clarification of the language in the American Rescue Plan to provide assistance to small businesses in the convenience services industry.

"This clarity ensures that convenience service operators who provide catering, on-site cafeteria and/or foodservice will not be inadvertently excluded from access to this much-needed relief," Mike Goscinski, senior director, external affairs at the NAMA, said in a prepared statement. "The move allows more small businesses to continue to provide consumers with the products they need at work, at home and at play, as cities and states begin to reopen."

President Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which Congress approved in March, increases funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Information about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is available on the NAMA website.