NEW BEDFORD — Only a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered restaurants in March 2020, Deanna DiCorpo and her business partners opened 19 Prime Tapas. Since the pandemic, it's been a struggle to survive for the 10-seat Fall River restaurant that opened in December 2019, she said.
But now, 19 Prime Tapas is among a handful of women-owned SouthCoast restaurants to receive a $5,000 grant from the Massachusetts Conference for Women, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in the workplace.
"I'm very thankful," said DiCorpo. "We're a really small business. It helped with rent, paying my chef. Everything basically."
This year, the organization awarded a total of $400,000 in $5,000 grants to 80 women-owned restaurants in the state.
"It went a long way. It was definitely a big help," DiCorpo added.
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In the SouthCoast, the grant was also awarded to Spicy Lime Thai Cuisine, Taqueria La Raza and Tropical Smoothie Cafe in New Bedford, Country Whip Inc. in Acushnet and Savor the Moment cafe in Fall River.
"I am so honored to be selected for this grant program," wrote Karyn Ferreira, owner of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in a Facebook post. "Thank you to all our loyal customers and staff members that have helped me stay strong through the pandemic. I am truly honored!"
"I am overwhelmed with joy to have received the grant. It will go towards employee wages and food cost," said Sherri Rego, owner of Savor the Moment cafe. "Last year, I had to take out a loan to continue to be open so this will help tremendously."
"Being awarded the grant was a huge help as our overhead continues to increase rapidly since COVID-19," said Amanda McQuillan, owner of Country Whip.
"From cost of goods to wages, and everything in between, it all keeps increasing at a rapid pace which makes it harder for small business to stay profitable," she added about the family-owned restaurant and ice cream parlor.
"The grant was immediately used to help towards our lease expenses while we are closed over the winter months," she added.
Support for women-owned businesses
"We are incredibly humbled and proud to be able to give back to women," said Laurie Dalton-White, national director of Conferences for Women.
Dalton-White said the organization's mission is about women helping women.
"We were trying to find people that may not have access to capital, that are really going to use this for paying their staffs and keeping the lights on," she added.