BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Some small businesses across Central Florida have been trying to stay afloat after government funding ran out.
“It was tough there was very little answers, in the beginning, it was frustrating,” said Michael Zarella, owner of Zarella’s Italian Wood Fired Pizza in Cape Canaveral.
He said when the Payment Protection Program was rolled out he was one of the businesses that missed out on aid.
“We applied for all of the loans available, anything that we could get our hands-on, we said every little bit helps,” he said.
On Tuesday, round two of the federal small business loan program known as PPP was announced during the daily White House briefing. The program is expected to get a second opportunity when Congress votes to approve the coronavirus relief aid package.
“We’re very pleased direct deposits have gone out, we started sending out the checks, we’re also going to be supplementing the capabilities and sending prepaid debit cards so we can get money out quickly to people,” said Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary.
Zarella said this time he isn’t pinning his hopes on aid that would add 310 billion dollars to the small business loan program. He said his focus is on getting his employees back to work.
“It’s just one of those things that we’re going to cross our fingers and pray that it shows up but if it doesn’t we’re going to continue grinding and doing what we do best, making pizza and meatballs,” he said.