LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)—The City of Lafayette announced earlier this week that nine local businesses would receive up to $10,000 through a Community Development Block Grant. It's all in response to COVID-19.

"Small businesses really are the fabric of our community and some of our restaurants and those places have been hit harder than any place else by this shut down and the stay at home orders," said Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski. 

Roswarski said it is important to make sure the city's local economy has some protection.

"We are just glad we've been able to help at the end of the day. We'll put about four-hundred-thousand dollars out there that will be helping small businesses," said Roswarski. 

The city awarded more than $40,000 dollars total to the nine businesses announced. Wheeler's Downtowner Restaurant is one of those businesses.

"Little worried about how rent was going to be paid," said Timmons. "We just opened about a week ago."

Yolanda Timmons manages the restaurant. She said she applied for a loan to help with expenses on the restaurant but didn't get approved. So receiving this grant is huge help.

"We heard about the Community Grant," said Timmons. "We were very thankful for that."

Timmons was also concerned about customer volume.  She said a lot of their customers are older. Since those older are at a higher risk of contracted the Coronavirus, many have been urged to stay home. 

"We have some great regulars. Many have jumped right back in and we have some people that come every single day. So we are thankful for that," said Timmons. 

Mayor Roswarski said helping local businesses is a part of helping the community.

"They also add kind of a unique character to our community and to our downtown by the special things that they do and they are fully invested in being here and being a part of the communities."

To date there are now 38 small businesses in Lafayette that have received the Community Development Block Grant.