Auburn Chamber delivers grant funds to struggling businesses

The Auburn Chamber of Commerce has been busy the past few weeks handing out grant money to personal-service businesses in need. Pandemic restrictions did a number on personal-service businesses – gyms, salons, massage parlors, etc. – shuttering the businesses completely for large chunks of time throughout the past year. "Most businesses like ours are not profitable right now," said Scott McCallum, general manager of CACFit, a fitness club in North Auburn. "Those funds have meant we can stay open and we didn't have to lay anyone off." McCallum said the money meant a lot to the employees and members and that the funds have been indispensable. "The Chamber has been instrumental, and people like Jackie (Weston) have been working tirelessly," he said. "Small businesses don't have the resources that large businesses do, and the Chamber has been an advocate for so many people." Weston, executive director of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, said the number of applications for the personal-services grants exceeded what they anticipated but they wanted to make sure all applicants received money. The Chamber is delivering $49,500 total for these grants; it originally set aside $30,000. "We hope that even though we weren't able to give huge amounts of money that these funds help a much-needed sector of businesses get some stress off their shoulders," Weston said. The Chamber is delivering 74 personal-services grants – one to every applicant. Most applicants got $500, and 19 received $1,000. The amounts were based on whether they had employees or were self-employed. The money for the grants comes from the nearly $200,000 the Chamber received from Placer County to help local businesses.