Annapolis Tornado: 5 Damaged Establishments Get $5K Grants To Help Recovery

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Anne Arundel County on Nov. 10 awarded $5,000 grants to five Annapolis establishments damaged in the September tornado. Those awardees are:

• Annapolis International Market: A multicultural grocery store that opened in January
• Chris’s Charcoal Pit: A Greek restaurant that’s been in business for more than 30 years
• Cricket Wireless: A local cell phone provider
• Panther Auto Body: A repair shop owned and operated by an Annapolis High School graduate
• Cecil Memorial United Methodist Church: A house of worship that has served the city for almost 100 years

"We are so thankful for this grant," stated Mary Sellers, who owns Panther Auto Body with her husband, Pete Sellers. "Every little bit helps. We have spent so much fixing up our business, and we just want to say thank you so much."

TD Charitable Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of TD Bank, funded the $25,000 initiative. This Disaster Recovery Micro Grant Program was announced on Oct. 26 by County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation.

The awardees can use the grants for any legitimate business expenses, like equipment or inventory replacement, repairs and rent.

Tornado Aid

This is the latest round of relief for the tornado victims.

The U.S. Small Business Administration last month announced low-interest loans and a support office to help Anne Arundel County residents with damaged property. This news came days after Gov. Larry Hogan asked the organization for assistance.

Hogan also unveiled a $4 million plan to aid locals hit by the storm. He released that initiative shortly after the Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected Maryland's request for a presidential disaster declaration and its associated relief.

RELATED: Tornado Can Shake Store, But Not Determination Of Business Owner

Twister Details

Anne Arundel County and Annapolis both declared states of emergency after a twister spawned from Tropical Depression Ida on Sept. 1. The states of emergency have since expired, but the damage still remains.

The EF-2 tornado reached wind speeds of 125 mph while traveling from Edgewater to Annapolis and causing 3,924 power outages. In the state capital, the twister temporarily displaced 38 residents and left:

• 5 buildings destroyed
• 25 condemned
• 29 with major damage
• 46 with minor damage

Victim Recovery

Fundraisers have collected thousands of dollars for affected businesses. A fall festival also supported three Edgewater families who lost their homes in the storm.

The Annapolis Town Center additionally hosted a benefit concert that raised more than $10,000 for the victims, WMAR journalist Abby Isaacs shared. To learn more about that charitable show, check out WMAR's full story.

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RELATED:

• Fall Festival Fundraiser Will Help Edgewater Tornado Victims
• Grants Available For Anne Arundel Businesses Affected By Storms
• Ida Disaster Relief Office To Open In Anne Arundel After Tornado
• More Ida Relief Announced For MD Businesses, Residents
• Ida Tornado: Hogan Offers $4M In Aid To Residents, Businesses
• Federal Relief Money Denied After Anne Arundel Tornado: Report
• Concert For Tornado Victims Raises $10K
• Annapolis Tornado Leaves Businesses, Locals In Need Of Donations
• Tornado Can Shake Store, But Not Determination Of Business Owner
• Annapolis Tornado Town Hall To Help Residents Wednesday
• Tornado Wind Speeds Hit 125 MPH On Path To Annapolis, Edgewater
• Anne Arundel Tornado Cleanup Prompts State Of Emergency
• Annapolis Tornado: Dozens Of Homes, Commercial Buildings Damaged
• Tornado Damages Annapolis Businesses, South River Stadium

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