Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Councilman and Small Business Committee Chairman Anthony Manetta, Town Clerk Gerry Compitello and Receiver of Taxes Jennifer Montiglio recently gathered with a group of local village mayors and trustees, county legislators and state senate and assembly members for the kickoff of “Babylon Business Blitz.”
New York State Senator John Brooks, Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre, Assemblyman Michael Durso, Guy Calla of Legislator Kevin McCaffrey’s Office, Village of Babylon Deputy Mayor Frank Seibert and Babylon Village Trustee Robyn Silvestri, Village of Lindenhurst Mayor Mike Lavorata and Lindenhurst Village Trustee RJ Renna, Village of Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry and Tom Dolan from the Town of Babylon Industrial Development Agency were among those who joined Babylon Town officials to help hit the pavement and hand out folders to businesses in our communities.
“Babylon Business Blitz” aims to create a unified coalition of elected officials to further help promote the town’s Direct Support Program, which was announced back in July. Through the Direct Support Program, local small businesses, nonprofits and veterans groups are eligible to receive federal grant money that will help them with any negative impacts suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic. This effort is the final push to promote the program with the goal of allocating all funds within 100 days. “Throughout the Town of Babylon, we really owe our small businesses a thank you for surviving, thriving and still having their doors open,” said Councilman Manetta, “The least we can do is provide this grant money to help support them.”
Several recipients of grant allocations were in attendance including Joseph Alletto of Alletto’s Italian Restaurant in Lindenhurst. Alletto is an 88-year-old veteran and business owner who has been in business for over 50 years. His daughter Kathryn spoke on his behalf saying, “After trying other resources, the Town of Babylon were the only ones who came through and I’m just so grateful to the town for really being there for him after all the year’s he’s been in business.”