Small Business Owners Need Assistance
Donation protected
In March of 2020, my husband and I pursued our dream of opening a retail shop in Historic Old Englewood, Florida and the Suncoast Trading Post was incorporated. COVID was just making headlines and there was no indication as to how bad the situation was going to get. As the Englewood community and the United States prepared for the potential pandemic, we pushed forward to achieve our American Dream of becoming small business owners. Hopeful that COVID would come and go like many news headlines, we opted to use personal funds to keep our doors open for the community. Sadly, the pandemic has lasted longer than anyone imagined, and we've stretched ourselves to our financial limits. We've tried to seek help from the government, but the timing of our purchase made us nearly ineligible for any help.
So, in this hour of need, we look to our fellow Americans for assistance in keeping The Suncoast Trading Post alive and kicking, before it goes the way of less fortunate small businesses this year. Once the store has recovered we will commit to returning your generosity with monthly donations of our own to a charitable cause.
Our Situation:
-COVID has drastically affected business in our area, which is heavily dependent upon tourist traffic.
-Because of the timing of our incorporation and lack of previous years numbers we do not qualify for aid on the federal or state level and have been approved for only $116 in local grants.
-We've used personal funds to keep the shop afloat through the lockdowns, travel restrictions and quarantines.
-With credit cards maxed out and savings depleted we are in serious jeopardy of defaulting on our debts.
-I've altered our operating hours. We are now not open on the typical slow days (Mon-Wed)so I can work part time outside of the store. We've expanded operating hours Thursday thru Sunday.
-I've been Ubering and Instacarting as often as possible to help put food on the table.
Our Plan:
-We are looking to pay off personal debt incurred in startup and operating costs, accounting for about $1600/mo in credit card and loan payments.
-With these payments out of the picture we will be able to pay our regular bills and put us in a position where, should it become necessary, we will be able to use income from our regular jobs to help keep the doors open through tough times.
-Once the store starts turning a profit again we will be able to slowly rebuild an emergency fund for future crisis.
How we're going to give back:
-Every dollar that we receive, up to our goal amount, will be paid back in the form of a charitable contribution to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, spread over the span of ten years.
-Once the world returns to normal and the store is stable we will set up recurring monthly payments to St. Jude's.
-Contributions will be documented on our website.
"Make a positive difference in someone's life every day". These are words we live by. We've always been in a position to help those in need and never expected to be in a situation where we would be the one's looking for assistance. Your donation will help put a struggling small business in a position of self sufficiency and allow us to 'pay-it-forward' and help support the research of cures for pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases through the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Thank you-
Tanja & Seann Albright
Owners - Suncoast Trading Post LLC
So, in this hour of need, we look to our fellow Americans for assistance in keeping The Suncoast Trading Post alive and kicking, before it goes the way of less fortunate small businesses this year. Once the store has recovered we will commit to returning your generosity with monthly donations of our own to a charitable cause.
Our Situation:
-COVID has drastically affected business in our area, which is heavily dependent upon tourist traffic.
-Because of the timing of our incorporation and lack of previous years numbers we do not qualify for aid on the federal or state level and have been approved for only $116 in local grants.
-We've used personal funds to keep the shop afloat through the lockdowns, travel restrictions and quarantines.
-With credit cards maxed out and savings depleted we are in serious jeopardy of defaulting on our debts.
-I've altered our operating hours. We are now not open on the typical slow days (Mon-Wed)so I can work part time outside of the store. We've expanded operating hours Thursday thru Sunday.
-I've been Ubering and Instacarting as often as possible to help put food on the table.
Our Plan:
-We are looking to pay off personal debt incurred in startup and operating costs, accounting for about $1600/mo in credit card and loan payments.
-With these payments out of the picture we will be able to pay our regular bills and put us in a position where, should it become necessary, we will be able to use income from our regular jobs to help keep the doors open through tough times.
-Once the store starts turning a profit again we will be able to slowly rebuild an emergency fund for future crisis.
How we're going to give back:
-Every dollar that we receive, up to our goal amount, will be paid back in the form of a charitable contribution to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, spread over the span of ten years.
-Once the world returns to normal and the store is stable we will set up recurring monthly payments to St. Jude's.
-Contributions will be documented on our website.
"Make a positive difference in someone's life every day". These are words we live by. We've always been in a position to help those in need and never expected to be in a situation where we would be the one's looking for assistance. Your donation will help put a struggling small business in a position of self sufficiency and allow us to 'pay-it-forward' and help support the research of cures for pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases through the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Thank you-
Tanja & Seann Albright
Owners - Suncoast Trading Post LLC
Organizer
Tanja Albright
Organizer
Englewood, FL