After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Small Business Owners Work to Recover, Rebuild and Thrive Again

American Express, in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, launched the Small Business Hurricane Recovery grant program in October to help support small businesses impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. At launch, Amex committed over $5 million in philanthropic funding to help 1,000 impacted small businesses recover from the devastating effects of the hurricanes.

On its 15^th annual Small Business Saturday this November, American Express donated $1 for every purchase made on an eligible American Express Card at a qualifying U.S. small business. This pledge raised over $5 million (LINK to 12/16 release), and applications are now open for the second round of grants through January 3, 2025. Eligible small businesses can visit www.uschamberfoundation.org to apply to receive funding¹.

Below, three grant recipients from the program’s first round talk about how they hope to use the funding to recover from hurricane destruction and rebuild their small businesses. 

Night Owl Iron Works is a blacksmith and leather workshop in Rutherfordton, NC. They hope to use their grant funding to replace lost revenue in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Learn a little more about Night Owl Iron Works from co-owners Rachel and Jordan Jackson:

How our business started

Jordan: “At first, it was just a hobby. I was a hairstylist and I had a little shop at home. I would put my son to bed and work at the shop during the night. Once it turned into a business, it kind of made sense to call it Night Owl Iron Works.” 

The impact of the hurricane

Rachel: “Initially, when the storm came through, we were at home. We were without utilities for 12 days, and everything in our yard — the fencing, the vehicles — was covered in trees.

Dealing with all of that took a lot of time from our business. We were not able to be fully operational for a few weeks. The financial impact has been substantial. The fourth quarter is by far the biggest one, so this is the hardest time of year for us to take a loss like this.” 

Why community matters

Rachel: “I think a lot of times entrepreneurs can be very…I don’t want to say stubborn, but we are very independent. We do a lot and take on a lot, and we can struggle to ask for help. We take pride in growing these businesses and the hard work that we’ve put in.

But if anything, I think since the end of September we’ve seen that there are great people out there who want to help get our region back on track so we can flourish and thrive. We’ve learned how important it is to ask for help, and to accept it whenever people offer.”

Clad is an intentional attire and goods boutique in Asheville, NC. They are planning to use their grant funding to replace revenue lost during the slow tourism season and want to remind others that shopping small during the holidays helps businesses thrive.

Learn a little more about Clad from owner Megan Authement:

The state we’re in

“This is my first holiday season. A lot of people come to this area for the changing of the leaves, and that followed by the holidays are the times that keep businesses going through the January-to-March lull. So now it’s kind of a scramble. I’ve seen a couple of people in the past month or so who are visiting, but they’re here to help friends clean homes that were destroyed, not for tourism.

It’s been heartbreaking to see the number of businesses that have already closed down, whether they closed because they physically lost their space, didn’t have running water, or couldn’t afford to pay employees.”

Why community matters

“In Asheville and other places, everyone has been out and trying to help. ‘Do you need help cutting this tree down so you can get out? Do you need water? Do you need food?’ People are grasping on to that sense of community because there are so many unknowns. No one knows what’s going to happen in a few months. I don’t know how rebuilt the city will be. I don’t think the city knows that. So I’m trying to focus more on community than things that I don’t have control over.”

Bake’n Babes is a specialty bakery in Tampa, FL. They hope to use their grant funding to continue to make repairs following extensive hurricane damage.

Learn a little more about Bake’n Babes from owner Julie Curry:

Our mission

“Just bringing a smile to somebody’s face. I love that we could be celebrating something with any customer who comes in the door. Maybe it’s their kids getting an A on their report cards. I’ve had people propose with cookies several times. I love that I get to be a part of that journey with somebody.”

The impact of the hurricane

“We had three feet of storm surge. When I opened the huge fridges and freezers, water came out of them, it was so high. It affected all of our counters, cabinets, drywall, oven, everything we use.

So many people are not living here right now because their homes are completely gutted. I think people are unaware of that. Tampa’s open for business again, but it’s definitely a concern. Our peak tourism time is in March, so I’m hoping that by then it should be okay. But there are also businesses here that probably won’t make it to March.” 

Why community matters

“We’ve had businesses offer us help. One company reinstalled our countertops. Another brought a furniture jack and a floor jack to raise our 800-pound stand mixer off the ground. I said, ‘When I have a refrigerator, a freezer and an oven, we’ll make you cookies"

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¹ The application period will remain open until Friday, January 3, 2025, at 11:59pm ET. The grant program will provide a $5,000 grant to 1,000 impacted small businesses that meet eligibility requirements. For more information and to apply for a grant, visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.