Aaron Rodgers’ philanthropic arrangements have now added to the more than $ 1 million granted to small businesses owned locally in and from his hometown of Chico, California, the North Valley Community Foundation announced Monday.
Green Bay Packers defender created the Aaron Rodgers Small Business Fund COVID-19 last month.
Nine of these businesses have been personally notified by Rodgers and North Valley Community Foundation President / CEO Alexa Benson-Valavanis in video calls, which can be viewed on Rodgers’ Instagram account.
“Small, locally owned businesses are the heart and soul of a community,” Rodgers said in a statement. “In apps and videos, it was crazy to hear about all the obstacles that restaurants and retailers face. So many of them are just struggling to stay in business, but they remain hopeful that this will end. “
Rodger, originally from Chico, who began his college career there at Butte College before moving to Cal, first started the fund with a $ 500,000 donation. He doubled it soon after. Another $ 100,000 in donations was added.
Rodgers had previously donated $ 1 million to help Butte County recover from a fire in November 2018. Restaurants and retail businesses with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees could apply for help through the Rodgers fund. Many restaurants, which are still unable to serve meals indoors due to restrictions in California, were among the 80 companies that received aid from the fund.