Maria’s Restaurant has been a fixture along the Hunting Park 5th Street corridor, offering authentic Caribbean food at affordable prices since 1997. Together with her sons and local employees, she serves an average of 100 people each day. Maria closed the restaurant on March 16th due to the coronavirus, taking with it her family’s only source of income. Esperanza worked with Maria and her sons to ensure they could successfully apply for several small business grants and loans. Maria has received $7,500 in funding from the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department and The Merchant’s Fund combined. With these resources, Maria’s family will be able to resume their operations with safety precautions, and the area will benefit from Maria’s Restaurant’s longstanding presence and warm meals once again.
