Assistance comes to some businesses at Reading Terminal Market

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — More than a dozen Reading Terminal Market vendors received $3,000 forgivable loans from a Pennsylvania non-profit on Wednesday.

The loan came from the PA 30 Day Fund. Hershel’s East Side Deli was among the recipients.

Safern explained how close to closing it has been for Market businesses with the drastic drop in visitors.

“Fortunately, we’ve had only a few merchants go out, but everyone is teetering on not existing,” Safern said.

Annie Allman, the General Manager of Reading Terminal Market, said these funds are sorely needed.

“These folks just took it on the chin, and they stayed open as much as possible to serve Philadelphia,” Allman said.

PA 30 Day Fund co-founder Jeff Bartos spoke to Action News.

“It’s very important, I think, that to show in the midst of so much negativity out there, Pennsylvanians truly have each other’s backs,” Bartos said.

Bartos explained that since May, the non-profit has raised close to $3.4 million and helped more than 1,000 businesses across Pennsylvania.

The non-profit pledged $100,000 for eligible businesses in the Market.

“We certainly don’t tell anyone what to do with the money, but what we hear from the small businesses owners, is it goes to employment, it goes to rent, and it goes to benefits,” Bartos said.

Last fall, a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign launched to help keep the historic market afloat, touching off some larger donations, including this pledge.

Read full story here.