Five Businesses Ravaged by Tornado Receive $5,000 Grants

November 10, 2021

When Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) announced the launch of the Disaster Recovery Micro Grant Program (DRMGP), on October 26, they hoped it would help the most hard-hit businesses and nonprofits in Anne Arundel County recover from the damage and pause in operations sustained as a result of the tropical storm and tornado that struck the region on September 1.

The initiative was funded with $25,000 from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.

The following four businesses and one nonprofit each received $5,000 – the maximum grant amount they were eligible to receive:

• Annapolis International Market, a multicultural grocery store that had only opened in January 2021.
• Chris’s Charcoal Pit, a Greek restaurant that’s been in business for over 30 years.
• Cricket Wireless
• Panther Auto Body, owned and operated by a graduate of Annapolis High School.
• Cecil Memorial United Methodist Church, where Annapolis residents have worshipped for nearly 100 years.

The grants, which will not need to be paid back, can be used for any legitimate business expense including physical property repairs, replacement of business equipment, replacement of inventory, lease/rental support, vendor bill support, or moving expenses support.

“We are so thankful for this grant,” said Mary Sellers, who owns Panther Auto Body with her husband, Pete. “Every little bit helps. We have spent so much fixing up our business, and we just want to say thank you so much.”

Here are images of the four businesses and the church:

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