Three New Jersey businesses were among the 25 companies in New England, New York, and New Jersey that received a total of $250,000 in grants from Citizens Bank’s Small Business Community Champion Award program for making a difference in their communities.
Applicants proposed strategies for growing their business in tandem with backing their local community.
Citizens, headquartered in Providence, R.I., said in a statement that “these businesses have been a pivotal part of their local communities, bringing people together and providing critical resources to those who live nearby.”
The three New Jersey winners are Anthony’s Cheesecake of Bloomfield; Good Morning Dental of Hackensack; and Blessed Day Care Center in Maplewood.
Anthony’s Cheesecake owner Anthony Lauro has been described as a pillar of the community on blogs and local newspaper stories. He plans to expand the restaurant’s Holiday Meal program for homebound seniors during the year instead of only at Christmas. The grant will also go toward the restaurant’s yearly fundraisers for local animal shelters, schools, and other l community initiatives.
At Good Morning Dental, Dr. Soo Kang, who founded the dental-care provider in 2008, intends to use the $10,000 grant to help patients who do not have dental insurance, especially senior citizens. The business aims to provide pro bono dental work to those who need it, as many of its patients cannot afford dental care without insurance.
Blessed Day Care Center plans to put its $10,000 award toward supporting low-income families in Maplewood and surrounding areas. The grant will enhance its food assistance program, invest in additional transportation resources to help more families with school pick-ups and drop-offs, and extend operating hours to accommodate parents with non-traditional work schedules. The grant will also go toward staff training and upgrading facilities and equipment.
In addition to the grant, the winners receive a one-year membership to Luminary, a global education and networking platform that raises the skills of professionals and entrepreneurs.
Citizens created the Small Business Community Champion Award program as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthen local communities. Including this year’s recipients, the program has awarded nearly $2 million to 167 small businesses.
Citizens Bank has 112 locations in New Jersey and is the eighth-largest bank in the state.
