The fires in California have been devastating for many small business owners and others who saw their homes, businesses or livelihoods go up in smoke.
Raquel “Rockey” Smeir startedMy Friends Café in Sierra Madre, California, in 2021. While the fires spared her building, she dealt with power outages, the mandatory evacuation in the area of staff, customers and the entire community. When she got back to the building, she had to deal with lost revenue, spoiled food and a devastated community.
“Many people may not realize the significant financial strain that a small business like ours faces when dealing with unexpected events,” she said. “With payroll, rent, and taxes due, the loss of inventory and revenue from being closed for nearly a week can be financially devastating.”
While private fundraising…