Jacqueline Tate Smith, the owner of the Coffee Shoppe in Selma, is the winner of the 2024 Phoenix Award for Outstanding Small Business Disaster Recovery from the Small Business Administration's (SBA) the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience (ODR&R).
“This year’s honoree represents the power of determination and adaptability. Her journey exemplifies resilience, inspiring us all,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the ODR&R.
“As SBA transforms its disaster assistance program by opening new paths for governors to secure recovery resources and working with local leaders to lead from the ground up, heroes like Ms. Smith represent the strong partnerships we are building to make communities more resilient.”
Smith was one of the many business owners to be affected by the tornado of January 2023. Prior to the devastating weather event, Smith was the recipient of a loan from the SBA due to the COVID pandemic.
After the tornado Smith received help from the "Blue Shirts" of ODR&R and was given another economic injury disaster loan to recover.
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