Our 120 year old family business operates a commercial real estate business with a staff of 13 in our offices. Our approximately 50 tenants employ 1000’s of people, jobs, lives that depend on us.
From grocery baggers to Fortune 500 CEO’s. Every possible employment sector is represented in our customers.
We operate more than a million square feet of class A retail and office space including our areas largest grocery chain and big box retailers. To say that our customers where hit hard by the health crisis is an understatement.
Immediately we were dealing with many requests of rent forgiveness from our restaurant clients, dry cleaners, hair salons, real estate sellers, ethnic take out eateries, small retailers, nearly everyone except our national grocery chain. Even our big box retail locations were closed.
Our family business assure all of our clients that we were in this together and we would be a source of help in navigating immediate government relief guidance. Many hours our staff worked on helping apply for PPP and other programs. HAND IN HAND.
Our family business worked a rent deferral program for those who were hardest hit by the pandemic and state rules and restrictions.
As county temporarily lifted temporary sign restriction we installed “WERE OPEN” signs ,street side where appropriate.
Our revenue projections are down about 20% for FYI 2020 at this point in our real-estate division we have added a net 2 new jobs to deal with servicing our clients. Also an addition net 1 job in accounting to handle more work there. All while facing lower projections and sadly some business closures.
In one of our 5th generation business managed by a young family member previously engaged in luxury brand promotion they retooled their production facility to make Covid-19 personal protective devices for community health care providers.
At NO COST TO COMMUNITY HOSPITALS, this small family start up business provided 2000 plexiglass masks for our front line heath care workers. It was funded by a large grant from a family foundation.
American Family Business work for each other in hard times. We are proud of our employees for stepping up in the midst of their own hardship to serve our customers and our community.
– Preston Root of the Root Family of FL
Family Enterprise USA advocates for American Family business. We help family businesses communicate their challenges and contributions to American economic freedom to Legislators. We represent all American family businesses; not just specific industries and provide research to enhance the opportunity for success. We help family businesses continue to establish their unique business legacy. Family Enterprise USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.. Family foundations can donate.