Stowe Street Cafe receives $10k business resiliency grant

January 15, 2021 |  By Waterbury Roundabout 

Stowe Street Cafe owner Nicole Grenier (left) and chef Stephanie Biczko. Courtesy photo.

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility this week announced that it has awarded $10,000 Business Resiliency grants to four of its member small businesses including Waterbury’s Stowe Street Cafe. 

The grants are made by the group’s Small Business Resiliency Fund created in response to COVID-19 to support small businesses committed to “rebuilding through a ’triple-bottom-line’ of people, planet, and prosperity,” the grant announcement explained. 

“Business can be a vehicle for positive social change,” said Roxanne Vought, VBSR executive director.  “The Small Business Resiliency Fund is one way we can support community-sustaining small businesses during a time of unprecedented adversity. Thank you to the VBSR member businesses and partners who stepped up to support small businesses in need.” 

A committee of VBSR partners selected the businesses based on financial viability, need, and “triple-bottom-line” excellence. 

Stowe Street Cafe was recognized for its mission to support the community in a variety of ways, particularly for its efforts in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to raise more than $9,000 for the American Civil Liberties Union through customer and its own donations. The grant also highlighted work by staff to provide meals and supplies to community members in need as a result of the pandemic as well as new efforts to add renewable energy to its operations. 

Owner Nicole Grenier said the pandemic completely up-ended the cafe’s daily routine saying, “keeping our doors open during this challenging time has not been easy.” 

“Still, we are committed to remaining a caring, creative, welcoming space for all. This VBSR Resiliency Grant is an investment in our commitment to our triple-bottom-line of people, planet, and prosperity and our efforts to practice, promote, and advocate for socially responsible business, policies, and healthy communities,” she said.

The other businesses honored with the grants and other perks were the Miss Weinerz locally focused bakery and food distribution network based in Burlington; Perky Planet Coffee, a Burlington cafe that focuses on employing and serving people with disabilities; and Waste Free Earth, a Burlington service firm that works with companies to create zero-waste systems. 

The business group said that the cash grants also come with technical assistance and pro bono services. The companies that contributed to the awards were: Center for Women & Enterprise, Copper Leaf Financial, Concept2, Davis & Hodgdon Associates, Gardener’s Supply Company, Green Mountain Power, Mascoma Bank, National Life Group Foundation, Northfield Savings Bank, Vermont Federal Credit Union, Vermont Small Business Development Center and VSECU. 

With more than 700 members, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility is a statewide nonprofit business association with a mission to promote businesses that value people and the environment alongside profits.  More information online at www.vbsr.org.