'I'm Still In Shock': Huntington Business Owner Gets $20K Surprise

HUNTINGTON, NY — A Huntington mental health counseling practice that serves more than 200 community members received a surprise $20,000 grant Tuesday to help make its building more accessible to people with mobility challenges.

Tanairy Fernandez, owner of Balance Mental Health Counseling, was surprised at her business at 165 East Main St. on Sept. 22 when representatives from Optimum Business and the Long Island Association Foundation arrived to announce that she had been selected as one of two grand prize recipients of the third annual L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grant Program.

The announcement came as a complete surprise to Fernandez, who had not expected the representatives to arrive that day.

"I'm still in shock —this was a big, big surprise; Fernandez said following the presentation. "I had no idea today was the day. I'm beyond blessed to think how far this grant is going to go for this company."

The grant will fund the installation of a wheelchair-accessible ramp at the front of the building, one of the final major improvements needed to make the property fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to Optimum Business.

Fernandez said the project will allow her practice to serve more individuals who use wheelchairs or otherwise have difficulty entering and exiting the building, helping remove a physical barrier to mental health services.

"We'll be able to provide handicap accessibility into the building," Fernandez said. "We'll be able to serve obviously more individuals who have a wheelchair or inability to walk in and out of the building, and then we'll be able to be ADA compliant, which is what we want for all individuals to have access to care."

Stacey Sikes, acting president and CEO of the Long Island Association, told Patch that the practice's impact on the community and plans for expansion were among the considerations in selecting it for the grand prize.

The practice "serves more than 200 members of the community, from children to adults," Sikes said.

The L.O.C.A.L. program, which stands for Lifting Our Community Businesses Across Long Island, was established in 2024 by Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation to provide financial support to small businesses throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The grant program is made possible by its Founding Partner, Optimum Business, and the LIA is continuing to collaborate with the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (LIHCC) and Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce (LIAACC) to expand outreach to the region’s community businesses.

According to Optimum, the program has awarded nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in grants to more than 130 Long Island businesses since its inception, including the latest round of funding.

Andrew Rainone, senior vice president of national business sales at Optimum, said the program is designed to give entrepreneurs flexibility in determining how to invest in their businesses.

"The L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grant program is designed to give entrepreneurs the flexibility to invest in what matters most to their businesses – whether that means expanding operations, reaching new customers, purchasing equipment, or creating new opportunities in their communities, "said Andrew Rainone, senior vice president of national business sales at Optimum.

Balance Mental Health Counseling is a minority- and woman-owned practice providing individual, family and group counseling for children, adolescents and adults.

Fernandez said the practice specializes in treating anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias. It also offers counseling for women experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

The Huntington business was one of two Long Island establishments selected to receive $20,000 grand prizes this year.

Earlier Tuesday, Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation surprised the Barber & Beauty Institute of New York in Hempstead with the other grand prize.

In addition to the $20,000 grant, Balance Mental Health Counseling will receive a $5,000 television advertising campaign from Optimum Media.

Fernandez said the advertising campaign will help raise awareness about mental health services, particularly among members of the Hispanic community and women experiencing mental health challenges during pregnancy or after childbirth.

"It's going to go a very, very long way," she said. "I think our business is going to be very much appreciative of the grant to be able to advertise more and to be able to talk more about the need, about mental health, maternal mental health, and how we can be of assistance to the Hispanic community, but also everyone who's struggling with anxiety, phobias, and OCD."