Allentown Association

Eligible businesses should apply now for the Erie County Back To Business Grant to help recoup losses due to COVID-19. The deadline is Monday November 2nd. #BackToBusiness #Allentown #BuffaloNY https://grants.ureeka.biz/backtobusiness

Allentown Business Spotlight Pine Apple Company, a collaborative retail shop on Allen Street is a gallery featuring Art and More. For the Art, the gallery showcases rotating featured artist shows. For the More, the space holds a unique gift shop of handmade goods created by six Pine Apple Company artists in residence with everything from prints to stationary to apparel to home goods.... Current Pine Apple Members are Bobby Griffiths, Sarah Liddell, Esther Niesen, James Moffitt, Tom Holt and Mickey Harmon. New gallery shows every month coinciding with Allentown's First Friday Gallery Walk held on the first Friday of each month. Each month, a single artist is featured on one of the shop’s windows where the artist creates a one-of-a-kind piece that can viewed all month long. Pictured below (with the pride flag) is the window created by artist Jae Skeese (@Jaeskeese on Instagram) Stop in and visit Pine Apple Company to find unique gifts or a special item for your self or visit them on the Web at pacobuffalo.com.

A new mural celebrating local LQBTQ history, funded by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery public art initiative, was dedicated on October 11 National Coming Out Day. Located on the side of 44 Allen Street, the mural, officially titled Stonewall Nation: WNY LGBT History Mural, was created by Allentown artist (and Association Board member) Mickey Harmon and Ari Moore. The mural recognizes the historical contributions of LGBTQ activists through portraits of local and national leade...rs from the public beginnings of the movement at New York’s Stonewall in to the present day An illustrator and graphic designer, Harmon is co-owner or the Pine Apple Company gallery and shop on Allen Street. An active member of the community, Harmon also serves as the chair of Exist, the event that kicks off Buffalo’s annual Pride weekend. Ari Moore, Buffalo’s first prominently out black trans woman, studied at the University at Buffalo and Daemen College. She served as an art instructor and owned the Inner City Art Studio before joining the Buffalo Police Department. Moore served as an officer for 25 years before retiring.

Early Voting Begins October 24 If you plan to vote in person for this year’s election but want to avoid large groups of people or long lines, New York State allows early voting beginning Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1. Registered voters can vote in person at any early voting location. Locations and hours for early voting in Erie and Niagara County are listed on the attached pages, courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Buffalo/Niagara.

Today, Thursday October 15th is the LAST day to respond to the Census. If you haven't, please take a minute to click the link to be counted in the 2020 Census. https://2020census.gov/

Attention small business owners: New Small Business Grant Program Available! Erie County has just announced the Back to Business Grant Program, a $20 million relief fund offering direct financial assistance to qualifying Erie County-based small businesses. The grant program aims to disperse funds to businesses with the greatest need while distributing the aid to as many small businesses as possible - in amounts that will create a meaningful impact. In addition to having 50 em...ployees or less, a business must also demonstrate a loss of gross revenue or a reduced level of production or sales due to the pandemic and have no more than $7.5 million in gross total sales for 2019. Ninety-percent of those workers must live in Erie County and the business must have been open for at least a year from the program's launch. Eligible applicants to the Back to Business Grant Program will receive: $10,000 in funding for businesses with a sole proprietor $25,000 in funding for businesses with 2-25 employees $45,000 in funding for businesses with 26-50 employees Grants can be used for a variety of past and future expenses, but funds must be spent by December 30, 2020. Businesses are encouraged to apply soon as possible before the funding runs out. The application deadline is Monday, November 2, 2020. Click the link to apply: https://grants.ureeka.biz/backtobusiness

Erie County and the City of Buffalo have partnered to provide rental and mortgage assistance to at-risk Erie County residents who have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click the link to apply: http://www.211wny.org/res/erie-county-covid-19-rent-relief/

We love the fall foliage & the decorations at our local businesses.

Bag It Buffalo! Check out this important information on fall curbside leaf pickup & residential drop off to help keep our streets & storm drains clean & clear. #Allentown #BagItBuffalo #BuffaloNY

Remember there's still time to register for the November 3rd election. The deadline to register is October 9th. And the deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 27th. #Allentown #GetOutTheVote

The Allentown Association, in conjunction with the League of Women Voters hosted a voter registration drive Saturday, September 26, 2020. The deadline to register for the November 3rd election is October 9th.