It’s as Easy as Pie to Help Georgetown’s Small Businesses
By • October 28, 2021 0 1074
Georgetown Main Street’s Chicken Pot Pie-athon is underway through November 7, providing a solution to those too-busy-to-cook or what-to-give-the-new-neighbors quandaries. Sales of succulent, frozen, ready-to-bake and -serve chicken or vegetable pies and gluten-free main dishes like eggplant parmesan will help GMS support small businesses in Georgetown. A large number of these businesses are women- or immigrant-owned (or both).
Jenn Crovato, chef/owner of 1310 Kitchen & Bar, is the pie maker and GMS board member behind this fundraising project. She is donating 35% of the sales of these ready-to-bake meals to the nonprofit organization. A GMS grant helped Crovato keep her business going during the pandemic; now, she is giving back in a way that seems especially suited to diners’ needs. People have gotten used to the
“convenience of call-in and delivery of prepared meals,” she explains. These entrees “can be frozen for months and popped into the oven when you’re not sure what to serve for dinner.”
While the Covid situation has improved, Crovato tells us that small businesses still face unprecedented problems. The shortage of help means that she, like so many others, cannot recruit staff to open for full capacity – more days or longer hours. Ordering supplies is much harder now – deliveries are incomplete or late or simply do not arrive. What’s more, small enterprises need help with tech support. The owners simply do not have time to handle the demands of social media. Even more significant is that many need help to “survive the new world of technology.”
Rachel Shank, GMS’s executive director sees Georgetown businesses as continuing to face serious problems. These include struggling with supply chain issues, high rents, foot traffic and the need to develop online marketing. GMS hopes to raise $5,000 through the Pie-athon. Besides any outright grants to businesses, the nonprofit plans to hire an intern, who could work with businesses to develop grant applications as well as a social media presence.
Tarck Diab, proprietor of Noosh, one of last year’s grant recipients, explained the need for such assistance. Much of his business is from university students who have just returned to campus, he said. But he is not permitted to distribute or post fliers in those spaces. Rachel Shank helped them apply for grants and applications, he said. Now he needs help “facing this new life” online.
GMS is making it as easy-as-pie to help Georgetown’s small, local businesses. Go to https://www.georgetownmainstreet.com/chicken to order a chicken or vegetable pot pie – or other succulent, ready-to-heat meals – for pickup or delivery.
