Senator Caballero will be speaking to local businesses about small business grants

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) California State Senator Anna Caballero will visit and speak to local businesses about the California Small Business COVID-19 grant relief.

Local businesses are still seeing the impacts of the pandemic but state senator Anna Caballero is taking steps to make sure they know help is available.

The COVID-19 relief grant program, signed last month, sets aside 2.1 billion dollars for small businesses, an increase from the initial 500 million that was put into the fund.

"I want all the small businesses that want to continue in operation to have an opportunity to be able to access a state grant," says Caballero.

Caballero wants people to know there is still a chance to apply.

"I want to let people know that if you applied for the grant and haven't received it, you could still receive it, number one. Number two is if you haven't applied for the grant, it's not too late," says Caballero.

Jorge Aguirre, the owner of Jugeria La Tropical, says the pandemic impacted his juice and food shop but hopes that business will pick up soon.

"It has hit us but we hope that as the harvesting season ramps up, that we are able to recuperate," says Caballero.

The senator says they are working on grants for microbusinesses like those who sell flowers on the street or home-based businesses.