Help Sweet Mary's Bakery & Staff During COVID-19
Donation protected
Hi Guys,
Sweet Mary here. Crowdfunding isn't something I ever thought we'd need to do again, but I also never thought we'd need to close our doors to prevent the spread of a global pandemic. We've closed our doors because we love our customers, our staff, and our community, and now we're hoping you'll send a little love back our way.
The health and safety of our community has always been paramount in Sweet Mary's Bakery's mission. With a large percentage of our clientele in high risk groups, and our product not being "essential", no matter how much we tell ourselves we need those macarons, we need you safe and healthy so much more. It was a difficult decision, but one we made knowing that with your support, we'd be reopening stronger than ever when we come out the other side.
But our employees jobs aren't the "work from home" type. Meghan can't telecommute you that cinnamon roll, that Hilary can't send her fresh from her kitchen. It just doesn't work that way. We'd love to be able to smoosh a Cheddar Bacon Biscuit through a portal and have it come out at your desk all hot and fresh; but we're not there yet. And in the meantime our bills don't stop. The bakery has bills and our staff has bills. We need to be able to keep our heat on, our lights working and our rent paid, while we're all hunkering down to get through this.
To that end, I'm asking for your help. It's uncomfortable and I'm not good at it, because I'd much rather be trading your hard-earned dough for something we made with hard work from dough. It feels so much better that way. But when it comes down to asking for your help to get through this unforeseen crisis, or letting my business go under and layoff my employees, the choice was clear. I need to swallow a little pride and ask Akronites to do what they do best: help.
While I've encouraged all of my staff to file for unemployment through the state, and my generous parents loaned the bakery enough money to pay our staff PTO up through 3/21/20, we're now completely out of money with no real safe way to reopen in the near future. I have applied for the SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and am poised to apply for a Grant though the Greater Akron Chamber, as well as the Federal Paycheck Protection Program. But I have no idea when these funds will arrive, and while we're grateful for the relief we've received thus far, it doesn't help us in the near-term.
So here's the bottom line. I've done the math and we need $4500. The bulk of that, $3,000 is to cover the tips that our staff won't be receiving through the end of April. They rely on those funds, and I don't take a cut of their tips; that's just for them, because they're awesome. The other $1500 is to help us cover some already existing deficits and bills with a little left over to purchase ingredients and supplies to be able to offer a limited Delivery-Only Menu for Easter (April 12th). The idea of not being able to bake for you on our 5th Easter since the shop opened is too depressing to bear.
As far as payroll, rent, and our other bills go, we're hoping the SBA loans and grants come through soon and we can take care of those and put our staff on 100% PTO through the remainder of this crisis.
Thanks so much for your support, and for supporting all of Akron's small businesses during this time of crisis. From the bottom of my heart, I love you guys.
Looking forward to better days filled with coffee dates, hugs, and all the macarons your heart desires.
#SmallBusinessRelief
xoxoxo
~Sweet Mary
Sweet Mary here. Crowdfunding isn't something I ever thought we'd need to do again, but I also never thought we'd need to close our doors to prevent the spread of a global pandemic. We've closed our doors because we love our customers, our staff, and our community, and now we're hoping you'll send a little love back our way.
The health and safety of our community has always been paramount in Sweet Mary's Bakery's mission. With a large percentage of our clientele in high risk groups, and our product not being "essential", no matter how much we tell ourselves we need those macarons, we need you safe and healthy so much more. It was a difficult decision, but one we made knowing that with your support, we'd be reopening stronger than ever when we come out the other side.
But our employees jobs aren't the "work from home" type. Meghan can't telecommute you that cinnamon roll, that Hilary can't send her fresh from her kitchen. It just doesn't work that way. We'd love to be able to smoosh a Cheddar Bacon Biscuit through a portal and have it come out at your desk all hot and fresh; but we're not there yet. And in the meantime our bills don't stop. The bakery has bills and our staff has bills. We need to be able to keep our heat on, our lights working and our rent paid, while we're all hunkering down to get through this.
To that end, I'm asking for your help. It's uncomfortable and I'm not good at it, because I'd much rather be trading your hard-earned dough for something we made with hard work from dough. It feels so much better that way. But when it comes down to asking for your help to get through this unforeseen crisis, or letting my business go under and layoff my employees, the choice was clear. I need to swallow a little pride and ask Akronites to do what they do best: help.
While I've encouraged all of my staff to file for unemployment through the state, and my generous parents loaned the bakery enough money to pay our staff PTO up through 3/21/20, we're now completely out of money with no real safe way to reopen in the near future. I have applied for the SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and am poised to apply for a Grant though the Greater Akron Chamber, as well as the Federal Paycheck Protection Program. But I have no idea when these funds will arrive, and while we're grateful for the relief we've received thus far, it doesn't help us in the near-term.
So here's the bottom line. I've done the math and we need $4500. The bulk of that, $3,000 is to cover the tips that our staff won't be receiving through the end of April. They rely on those funds, and I don't take a cut of their tips; that's just for them, because they're awesome. The other $1500 is to help us cover some already existing deficits and bills with a little left over to purchase ingredients and supplies to be able to offer a limited Delivery-Only Menu for Easter (April 12th). The idea of not being able to bake for you on our 5th Easter since the shop opened is too depressing to bear.
As far as payroll, rent, and our other bills go, we're hoping the SBA loans and grants come through soon and we can take care of those and put our staff on 100% PTO through the remainder of this crisis.
Thanks so much for your support, and for supporting all of Akron's small businesses during this time of crisis. From the bottom of my heart, I love you guys.
Looking forward to better days filled with coffee dates, hugs, and all the macarons your heart desires.
#SmallBusinessRelief
xoxoxo
~Sweet Mary
Organizer and beneficiary
Mary Hospodarsky
Organizer
Akron, OH
Mary Hospodarsky
Beneficiary
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