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Like many small business owners around the state, Kemi Lawani is experiencing unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawani, who immigrated from Nigeria, is the owner of Bonita’s Extensions and Braids in Minneapolis.

She said she tried to apply for the first round of Small Business Administration loans created through the CARES Act to help small businesses during the shutdown.

Her business didn’t receive any of the funding, and she’s been without income for over a month 

“It's rejection from left, rejection from the right,” she said, adding that she submitted her application and all required information on time. “Nobody is giving any answers.”

But will it be enough to survive?

Small business owners frustrated by aid delays

The only thing she’s been told is that funds were depleted. Last month, Congress appropriated $350 billion for small business loans. Within three weeks, the fund was out of money. Now Congress is working to replenish the fund. 

Like Lawani, many small businesses didn’t get their share. 

“I happen to run a business that I have subcontractors, so they are in the same boat,” she said. “They're all getting rejected.”

To make up for the loss of income, Lawani said she’s turned to delivering food through DoorDash. But it isn’t enough.  

“A lot of us are going to the food shelter now to get food,” she said. “I've been [in the United States] for 18 years, never stepped into a food shelter, but my kids are not going to starve.”

The Senate unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that would provide emergency loans to small businesses and funding for hospitals and testing. The new $484 billion coronavirus relief package would provide an additional $320 billion to replenish the Small Business Association’s Paycheck Protection Program that Lawani applied for.

Minnesota U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, a Democrat, said in a statement, “while the package replenishes the small business loan fund and sends needed resources to hospitals, I don’t think our work responding to this pandemic is done.” 

Lawani isn’t too optimistic even with a second batch of loans coming, but she said she’s survived worse.

“You have no choice but to keep it together, that's all you can do.” she said

Click on the audio player above to hear Tom Crann’s interview with Kemi Lawani on All Things Considered.

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Tarkor Zehn

Author

Tom Crann

Host

Kemi Lawani, owner of Bonita’s Extensions and Braids, was one of the many small business owners who didn’t receive any funding from the Small Business Association’s Paycheck Protection Program loans.

MPR News - Kemi Lawani of Bonita's Extensions and Braids said she hasn't received any funding from SBA loans.

MPR News - Small Business Owner on All Things Considered

"For Sale By Owner" and "Closed Due to Virus" signs. 

'I have nothing': A small business owner struggles without first round of funding

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