The awarded business owners represent a collective of 68 employees throughout various industries including the arts, health & wellness, youth sports & development, restaurant & food service, and much more. Funding through this grant program will lead to the creation of 16 new jobs.
These grant awards range up to $1,500 and will be used by recipients for proposed projects including marketing campaigns, website development, new or upgraded equipment, curb appeal enhancements, furnishings & fixtures updates, and much more.
Aida Manzo-Garcia, owner of Sincerely2youu and recipient of funding from this BLOOM Grant Program, “…will use the funding to purchase a commercial floral refrigerator and essential supplies to expand bouquet production and improve overall flower quality.”
Another awardee, Blake Gifford, owner of York Illustrated, shared, “Upgraded equipment will allow me to work more efficiently, produce more sophisticated digital illustrations and visual materials, develop new tour and event concepts, and better share York’s architectural history through accessible digital media and educational content.”
In addition to Manzo-Garcia and Gifford, the following businesses have also been awarded funding from this program:
- Eduardo Paschoa, AE Marketing Solutions
- Sam Sutton, All Sports Youth Association
- Georgina Molina, Andromeda Nails
- Carmen Arias, Before and After Beauty Parlor
- Lennia Vega, Cakes by Lee
- Jen Heasley, Cooking with the Pros LLC dba Sweet Mama’s
- Myles Gutirrez, Dexterity Auto Detailing
- Sarah Cahill, Gather 256
- Dylan Bauer, Granfalloons Tavern
- Brenda Wintermyer, Just Brenda
- Kara Anstine, KaraBoo Studio
- Matt DePrato, Liquid Hero Brewery
- Errol Katindig, Nama Sushi
- Megan Grandinetti, Sattva Center for Meditation & Yoga
- Miranda Markowski, Skincare by Miranda
- Celia Rojas-Beard, Urs Truly Photography
With the closeout of this funding round, the BLOOM Grant Program will have awarded $698,600 to 314 small businesses across York County since its inception. There will be two more BLOOM Grant Programs for Small Businesses in 2026. Full details are available at www.bloomyork.org.
About BLOOM
The BLOOM Business Empowerment Center provides resources and opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses with a focus on increasing equity and advancement for women and minority-owned businesses for the purposes of community development.
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