SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Following the devastating storms on January. 22, many individuals and businesses have been facing difficulties in accessing flood relief.
Fortunately, some flood-affected families qualify for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, while small businesses with fewer than 12 employees have the opportunity to apply for grants offered by the City of San Diego.
However, Native Poppy, a floral shop impacted by flooding, finds itself ineligible for both federal and city funding, presenting a unique challenge to its survival.
Inside the shop's Mission Valley warehouse, employees are diligently preparing for the upcoming wedding season.
Read more: Local flower shop remains resilient after storm floods warehouse
"We're pretty tough around here," Owner Natalie Gill said. "The thing that I'm having a hard time understanding is how the government isn't viewing us as a small business."
While FEMA aid extends to homes, Gill said her small business does not qualify for assistance from the federal government. Since Native Poppy has 25 employees, the City of San Diego's grant program is also not accessible.
"We didn't qualify for any grants from the City of San Diego because we had more than 12 employees," Gill said.
In response, Gill has come up with a creative solution: hosting a silent auction.
"We're doing an auction and all these amazing companies - a lot of them are from San Diego, some outside of San Diego - have donated services and experiences and products to help us raise money to try to recover," she said.
Gill hopes this solution will help the business survive. Click here to view the Native Poppy silent auction site, which will run until March. 22.
