BALTIMORE, Md. — "I was like, thank god!"
That was Marie Branch's reaction when she found out her corner breakfast spot was receiving $10,000. Simply Marie's in Canton is one of 10 restaurants in the Baltimore area chosen by DoorDash to get grant money through its Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund.
Among other criteria, restaurants had to demonstrate they were impacted by the Key Bridge collapse to be eligible.
"We see the difference. It's tough," Branch said.
When the bridge was still standing, Branch could always count on a couple of big orders each week from workers at the Port of Baltimore.
"And then it just faded off. I maybe got one order from down there since," she told WMAR-2 News' Elizabeth Worthington on Thursday.
The grant money went right towards paying rent and other bills to keep her doors open. Simply Marie's has been in business for about 14 years. Branch and her son are the only employees.
Over in Curtis Bay, closer to the bridge itself, the owners of Frank's Bay Tavern see - and hear - a lot more truck traffic in their neighborhood these days, but a lot less foot traffic.
"We had a lot of customers that would travel through here when they get off work, because the exit to the Key Bridge is literally five miles down the road," Karen Zapushek said. "So they would stop in for happy hour, or they'd stop in to grab dinner on the way home."
Karen and her husband Frank are the owners. They hope to use the money to catch up on operational costs they've had to push to the side, like replacing equipment.
"So the grant is actually incredibly helpful and incredibly timely," Zapushek told WMAR-2 News.
But they're also adjusting to life without the bridge, which will be the reality until a new one is built. Construction is expected to be completed in 2028.
"We're trying new avenues to maybe get different customers in here," Zapushek said. "We're gonna start being a venue for young and new bands."
For businesses that are still feeling the pinch, and missed out on the DoorDash grant, the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) announced a new round of assistance. The foundation has been helping businesses, port workers, nonprofits, first responders, and others impacted by the collapse for almost a year now. This week, the BCF launched the Key Bridge Small Business Direct Grant Program.
"The transportation routes have not gotten any shorter. The cost of doing business has not gotten any better," Shanaysha Sauls, CEO and President of BCF, told WMAR-2 News.
The grants will range from $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the business's revenue. The foundation is hoping to give out about $3 million through its three partners: the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation, Baltimore Community Lending, and the Latino Economic Development Center.
All of the money is coming from the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund. It was launched 48 hours after the collapse and has since grown to $16 million.
"Strictly by donations, everywhere from $5 to $5 million," Sauls said of the fund. "It really was an outpouring of support from hundreds and hundreds of individuals and businesses who wanted to help out."
To be eligible, businesses must have at least two employees, one of which can include the owner of the business. Priority will be given to businesses in Southeastern Baltimore City, Southeastern Baltimore County, and Northern Anne-Arundel County, as those locations are closest to the bridge.
"So they have first rights to the money. Businesses in other areas of the state can apply but our first priority is to make sure that those businesses in those communities are able to receive those funds," Sauls said.
Businesses must also have been in operation for at least two years prior to the collapse.
"That is just for the ‘but for.’ So ‘but for’ the collapse of the bridge, we have every reason to believe that this particular business would be vibrant," Sauls explained.