Binc can help in many ways during a natural disaster, from quick emergency funds for gas and food, to helping a family stay ahead of the mortgage in spite of missed paychecks and all the extra expenses a disaster can cause.
A bookseller owns a thriving bookstore housed in a turn-of-the-century building in a charming town on the Atlantic coast. Hurricane Florence, which brought more than 24 inches of water and multiple days of high winds, put the store’s future in jeopardy. Find out how Binc helped.
Bad Things Happening to Good People could be the title of one bookseller’s story. To receive assistance from Binc, a book or comic book store employee must experience an unforeseen financial hardship, referred to as a “qualifying event.” When this bookseller contacted Binc, she had experienced eight separate qualifying events in the previous 15-month period.
In some cases, a single Binc grant won’t bring the bookseller back to where they were before the emergency. That’s when we suggest they also apply for a matching grant.
In many cases of natural disasters like flooding, earthquake, and fire, Binc’s help is part of the solution for the business. Insurance, community fundraising, and a Binc grant all working together mean this bookstore is once again open for business. It’s wonderful to join communities of book lovers helping bookstores recover from challenging circumstances.
The next day Binc called to get more info. They were incredibly kind and helpful. The day they emailed to say the grant had been approved (which covered nearly half of my medical costs) will forever be one of the best days of my life.
Binc was recently contacted by the owners of a family-run comic book shop. They have been working mightily to keep their business afloat during the pandemic through a combination of in-store safety measures, online sales, and reducing expenses.
Divorce is an emotional and difficult situation at any time, but it is doubly hard during a pandemic. One bookseller found this out recently as the stresses of COVID led to the end of their marriage and the need for an immediate move.
Binc has been able to help a number of booksellers and comic retailers who have evacuated to escape the raging wildfires in the West, not knowing if their homes will survive. While most are able to eventually return to their homes, several booksellers who contacted Binc have lost everything. Binc is continuing to assist these booksellers as they work to put their lives back together after their unspeakable loss.
Morning is slowly stirring on a hot summer day in downtown Brighton, Michigan – traffic is light and there are still parking spots along the quaint street lined with overflowing petunia baskets. Nestled in the middle of Main Street, located below street level, is the 2 Dandelions Bookshop where owners Jeri Kay (Dandelion #1) and Jeanne (Dandelion #2) are sitting in the pre-opening quiet reliving an unexpected surprise that happened the morning of the store’s opening day.
