Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has directly helped 80 small businesses near his hometown survive financially during the ongoing pandemic.
According to a press release from the North Valley Community Fund, the “Aaron Rodgers Small-Business COVID-19 Fund” has distributed over $1 million to aid 80 businesses in and around the Chico area in Northern California.
Rodgers initially started the fund with a $500,000 donation. He’s since doubled the investment, putting $1 million total into helping local businesses stay afloat during uncertain economic times.
“Small, locally owned businesses are the heart and soul of a community,” Rodgers said in the press release. “In the applications and the videos, it was heart-wrenching to hear about all the obstacles facing restaurants and retail establishments. So many of them are struggling just to stay in business but remain hopeful that there’s an end to this.”
Through video calls, many posted on his official Instagram account, Rodgers has notified needy small business owners that their applications into the fund have been accepted. Many are coffee shops, restaurants or book stores in Chico, a metropolitan area consisting of around 200,000 residents.
A full list of grant recipients and social media announcements involving the fund can be found here.
Rodgers also donated $500,000 to “The Barstool Fund,” another charitable organization providing financial assistance to businesses in need during the pandemic.
