(Miami-Dade County, FL) -- On October 29, 2003, Commissioner Dennis C. Moss hosted an educational workshop at his District South office in Florida City for nine small business owners from disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Homestead/Florida City area who were chosen to receive a combined total of $50,000 for business development as part of Commissioner Moss’ District Nine Mom and Pop Small Business Grant Program.

The eight businesses were chosen from a pool of 122 applicants by a five-member selection committee composed of local bank loan officers appointed by Commissioner Moss.  Each business could have received a maximum grant amount of $10,000, depending on the number of grant recipients. The funds will not be paid directly to the grant recipients, but rather to vendors who will provide the grantees with services such as business equipment, interior renovations, marketing and advertising, insurance, security system installation, code violation compliance or any other justifiable business need.