COVINGTON, Ky. — The City of Covington is giving some business owners a helping hand over the holidays. Nearly $500,000 in grants are given to 13 different companies to offset losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Trying to get through the next 12 weeks is going to be tough as we were trying to figure out how we were going to secure funding,” said Mavis Linnemann-Clark, owner and executive chef of Delish Dish Catering & Events. “Should I take out a personal loan?

She said these are the questions she struggles with every day – and at least now she has answers.

“The City of Covington has been a cheerleader for us and they have helped us with other aspects of my business, and this is no exception,” Linneman-Clark said.

Covington and Kenton County have raised funds to give the Delish Dish $50,000. They are also giving grants of varying amounts to 12 other local businesses, all with the goal of keeping them afloat and keeping jobs in the city.

“It will help us keep our doors open and cooking,” Linneman-Clark said. “This is simply the best, absolutely the best Christmas present I could ask for.”

She said the grant is even more significant because her restaurant business is ineligible for certain relief funds that are only available to restaurants and bars.

“There is hope for small businesses; you just have to look for it in every nook and cranny,” Linneman-Clark said.

She said 2020 hasn’t been easy for The Delish Dish or many other businesses across the tri-state — but the catering company said the grant gave it a new reason to look forward to 2021.

“We’re already negative for the year, so this will help us not lose so much money in the first part of the year,” Linneman-Clark said. “And hopefully next year we can pull through and get back what we’ve lost this year, which is a lot.”

Covington and Kenton County businesses that get grants will need to work with the Kentucky Small Business Development Center to ensure they are prepared and ready to do whatever they may need to get through the rest of the pandemic.