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YPSILANTI, MI - Today, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist visited Haab’s Restaurant in Ypsilanti, Michigan to highlight the importance of supporting small businesses. Opened in 1934, Haab’s has deep roots in the Ypsilanti community, offering a gathering place and eatery full of tradition. As part of the American Rescue Plan that Representative Dingell helped pass, Haab’s Restaurant received over $150,000 from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to make up for lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our local restaurants provide jobs, feed us, donate to so many, and help support the hungry, and this pandemic has thrown everything at them. Haab’s has been a huge part of Ypsi for nearly 90 years and this funding has allowed them to keep their doors open and support their workers throughout the pandemic,” said Rep. Dingell. “I’m thankful that we passed the American Rescue Plan to provide much-needed assistance to Michigan’s restaurants and small businesses that are the backbone of our economy and a support system for our communities. I was proud to visit Haab’s Restaurant today with Lt. Governor Gilchrist and listen to how we can continue providing for independent restaurants like Haab’s and others small businesses on both a federal and state level.”

Michigan’s 12^th District received over $71 million from the American Rescue Plan to support restaurants, bars, and other small business food venues. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which consists of $9.5 billion allocated from the American Rescue Plan, grants businesses funding according to their pandemic-related losses up to $10 million per business, which can be used for business expenses like payroll, rent, utilities, and more.

“Our administration is laser-focused on creating opportunities for Michigan’s small businesses and throughout the pandemic, we implemented 23 economic relief programs that delivered over $240 million to small businesses in all 83 Michigan counties,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “I was honored to join Congresswoman Dingell in her district today to visit a small business and hear from community members about how we can best continue to support them. As we move forward with Michigan’s economic jumpstart, Governor Whitmer and I are committed to continuing to prioritize small businesses.”

Governor Whitmer’s state strategy, in addition to her Economic Jumpstart Plan, also continues to provide for our state’s small businesses and restaurants, implementing 23 economic relief programs for businesses, supporting more than 25,000 companies, and retaining more than 200,000 jobs throughout the pandemic.  

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