Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation Announce the Grant Winners of the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants

50 small businesses across Long Island, New York to receive a $5,000 grant to support

“Lifting Our Community Businesses Across Long Island”

NEW YORK (JUNE 17, 2024) – Optimum Business, the provider of advanced internet, mobile, TV, and phone services, alongside the LIA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Long Island Association (LIA), today announce the grant winners of the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants, which will directly fund 50 small businesses in communities across Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island.  

Each small business will receive a $5,000 grant to help support their growth and long-term success while further expanding and contributing to the prosperity of the communities where they serve. Featured grant recipients include: 

• Hydrangea Home in Northport: A home decor and lifestyle shop that will use their funds to purchase handmade items from local artisans and create art to benefit the Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary, a local animal protection organization.  

• Urban Fields Agriculture in Holbrook: A vertical farming company hoping to expand its business with their L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grant. 

• Lighthouse Mental Health Counseling Services LLC in Valley Stream: A mental health practice working towards creating a summer enrichment program for area residents. 

• A&S Sports in Westbury: A sports card and memorabilia store that plans to use their grant funds to replace signage and inventory.  

Follow along at optimum.com/business/local-grant for the full list of grant recipients and more information on the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants. 

To celebrate the grant winners, Optimum Business will host recognition events this summer and fall with local officials and key community partners joining in on the celebrations. Additionally, as part of the 2024 Small Business Summit on June 20, 2024, hosted by Optimum Business in partnership with the LIA Foundation, the grant winners will be honored alongside fellow small business owners from across Long Island. 

“Investing in the growth of small businesses not only fuels economic prosperity but also nurtures innovation and resilience within our communities. Optimum Business is proud of its rewarding partnership with the LIA, which supports and honors small businesses across Long Island and contributes to their sustained success for the months and years to come,” said Andrew Rainone, Senior Vice President of National Sales at Optimum. “On behalf of Optimum Business, we congratulate the 50 grant winners and look forward to watching the businesses succeed and continue making a lasting impact on their communities throughout Long Island.”  

The L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants are made possible by its Founding Partner Optimum Business, as well as the LIA’s continued partnership with the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (LIHCC) and Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce (LIAACC).   

“Empowering small businesses with grant support is more than just financial assistance – it is an investment in the backbone of our economy,” said Matt Cohen, President & CEO of the Long Island Association. “Through the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants, we aim to foster their potential, fuel their dreams, and ultimately, drive lasting positive change within the Long Island business community, and we are incredibly proud to be partnering with Optimum Business along with the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the African American Chamber of Commerce on this program.” 

“$5,000 means so much to a micro business especially as the Long Island business community is still recovering from the pandemic and economic pressures. I want to thank Optimum Business for their support of small business owners and the LIA Foundation for their continued partnership,” said Phil Andrews, President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce. 

“We were proud to the support the outreach efforts for the L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants, especially to our Hispanic business community who have experienced significant challenges with accessing capital. We congratulate the grant recipients and look forward to partnering with all of the applicants to support their growth,” said Luis Vazquez, President of the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. 

As part of Optimum’s new brand platform “Where local is big time,” Optimum is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves and connecting its customers to what matters most, which includes supporting, understanding, and celebrating what makes each of its local communities unique, including throughout Long Island. The L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants program is a testament to this commitment to customers and businesses in the area, further deepening the company’s presence on Long Island.