BOERNE, Texas – Veteran-owned small businesses in Boerne can get a helping hand from a new non-profit. The Task Force VOSBO, or Veteran-owned Small Business Organization has a mission to promote local businesses and provide educational opportunities for its members. Mark Sierra, owner and chef of Compadres Hill Country Cocina in Boerne, serves as the Task Force VOSBO’s president. “(Through Task Force VOSBO) we can help promote (small businesses), try to come up with resources for startups… (and) for existing veteran-owned businesses to get their name out a little bit more, just so we can help one another,” Sierra said. “We’re here to, you know, take you out of your comfort zone… We always encourage veterans to lead, right because that’s what (Task Force VOSBO) is all about.”AdApplications to join Task Force VOSBO are now being accepted.

SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Precinct 3 Commissioner-elect Trish DeBerry is gearing up to hit the ground running for small businesses struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic. DeBerry said she understands what it’s like being a small business owner after more than 20 years running her own company. DeBerry said she would like to see what a diverse task force could do to serve small businesses in the county. “Nobody understands a small business more than a small business owner,” DeBerry said. People like successful entrepreneurs, large corporations, and small business owners, so we can have constant conversations about what are the needs.”DeBerry said once the needs are recorded, she would like to look at what resources are available.

When Covid-19 hit, we knew that we needed to redirect the funds to small businesses directly, said Shirley Gonzales, who represents District 5 on City Council. Gonzales said many of the mom-and-pop establishments, micro-businesses with five or fewer employees, that are the backbone of our community, missed out on the controversial Paycheck Protection Program that gave millions in loans to major companies. According to LiftFund, a community-based lender that teamed up with Gonzales office, eight micro-businesses were each awarded $5,000 grants, not loans. She said the city funds she set aside for the program on the West Side are almost depleted. RELATED: These Texas businesses received $5-10 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans

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While there isn’t a whole lot we can do as restrictions are put in place, there are a few measures we can take to support our favorite local businesses during these unsettling times. Buy gift cards from your favorite restaurant or boutique. We’re all pretty used to shopping online (Amazon Prime Day is basically a holiday at this point), so one way you can support a local business is shopping from your computer or cellphone. Not all boutiques or retail stores may have the option to offer online shopping, but if they do, it’s a great way to support a small business and practice social distancing. Not everyone is able to do this, but if your income won’t be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, consider a donation to a local business that could need it.