What Strategic Support Looks Like: Small Business Transformation in Action
In April 2024, The Community Foundation partnered with the PNC Foundation to launch the Prince George's County Small Business Support Program—an initiative designed to help businesses along the Blue and Purple Line corridors navigate construction disruptions while positioning themselves for long-term growth.
The program awarded nearly $500,000 in capital grants to support 17 diverse businesses across healthcare, childcare, food services, professional services, and technology sectors. All of the partners are small businesses with 10 or fewer employees that have operated out of Prince George’s County for more than three years.
But the real impact goes beyond the numbers. We caught up with a couple of our partners to talk about the impact that this program has had on their businesses and the communities they serve. Here’s what they had to say:
Cocineros Modern Latin Eatery
Cocineros is a Latin American restaurant located in Hyattsville that offers cuisine from across South, Central, and North America. While the restaurant’s primary focus is food and hospitality, giving back to the community has been a core part of its mission since they opened in September 2021.
“If our business is doing well, we feel you have a responsibility to do more and help more people,” Mario Garcia, Cocineros Operation Manager shared. “That’s why we work every day—not just focusing on the menu and profits, but on creating a greater impact in our community.”
The Prince George’s County Small Business Support Program helped strengthen Cocineros’ business operations and expand its capacity to give back. Thanks to the program, Cocineros was able to invest in marketing and outreach to increase visibility and sales. They also invested in their staff so they could stabilize operations and position the business for growth.
Perhaps most exciting, Cocineros was able to navigate the vendor registration process to become eligible to serve as a food vendor for state and local government entities – giving them access to new revenue opportunities, including large-scale institutional and government catering contracts. They are proud to be one of the few registered Latino food vendors in Prince George’s County and hope to expand their potential business opportunities.
Brighter Beginnings 4 Kids
Founded in downtown Laurel in 2004, Brighter Beginnings 4 Kids started out as “Laurel’s Best Kept Secret” - a family-run early childhood education center serving 10-12 families with a strong reputation for school readiness.
Like many childcare providers, the business faced significant challenges during the COVID‑19 pandemic, as enrollment declined and operating costs remained high. However, rather than cut back, Brighter Beginnings made the decision to make a major investment so they could expand into a new space that would allow them to serve more families and grow long-term.
Makalay Turay, Owner of Brighter Beginnings 4 Kids with her business coach, Antonio Crespo Fajardo of LEDC.
In 2023, after a long and stressful journey through the commercial lending process, they were able to purchase a large, previously vacant childcare facility about 40 minutes away, along the Blue Line Corridor in Forestville -- at a time when many childcare providers in that part of the county were closing their doors.
Support from the Prince George’s County Small Business Support Program was critical in helping Brighter Beginnings reopen and stabilize in its new location. The business used grant support to cover essential operating expenses—including utilities, insurance, and security systems—while also making much-needed facility upgrades. Investments in flooring, fencing, kitchens, playground improvements, and signage helped transform an outdated building into a safe, modern childcare center ready to serve families again.
Beyond physical improvements, the program enabled Brighter Beginnings to invest in technology, marketing, and operational support to rebuild enrollment in their new community. Business coaching through LEDC helped strengthen day‑to‑day management, refine pricing, and support targeted outreach, positioning the center for long‑term sustainability rather than short‑term survival.
“Without the Small Business Support Program, I don’t think we would have made it,” Makalay Turay, Brighter Beginning’s Owner shared. “Thanks to your support, we can continue to expand access to affordable childcare for families in our community!”
Today, Brighter Beginnings 4 Kids is steadily growing toward its full capacity of 50 children and helping fill a critical childcare gap in the Forestville and District Heights area—particularly for working parents and military families. The business is creating jobs, investing in staff training, and preserving a long‑standing childcare legacy in the community.
Flavors Culinary Hub
When Flavors CEO Samia Bingham lost 50% of her monthly revenue after two federal contracts were terminated in early 2025, she faced a decision that confronts many small business owners: close up shop or reinvent entirely. Thanks to the Prince George's County Small Business Support Program, she chose transformation.
The Small Business Support grant arrived at a critical moment. Flavors used the funding to hire their first Hospitality Associate—a returning citizen who now leads daily operations at The Afternoon Society, their innovative non-alcoholic bar concept. They contracted expert trainers in cold-pressed juice and mocktail development, purchased essential equipment including commercial coffee urns and pizza ovens, and fully implemented a point-of-sale system that enables seamless ordering across multiple vendors.
But perhaps the most significant investment was in coaching. Working with On the Hunt Consulting, Samia refined her vision for Flavors Marketplace—a hospitality-driven retail café that serves as both a gathering space and a sales engine for local food entrepreneurs. The Marketplace now supports more than 40 food and beverage entrepreneurs, providing them with commercial kitchen access, vendor partnerships, and a platform to reach new customers.
Today, Flavors has launched their signature Elevate365 technology platform to help vendors manage licensing, food safety, scheduling, and operations. They've established legal partnerships with four local food entrepreneurs whose products are featured on the launch menu. And they're in conversations with local developers about expanding the Marketplace concept to additional locations. What could have been a business closure became a story of resilience, reinvention, and commitment to building economic opportunity for an entire culinary community.
Other participants from the Small Business Support Program Include:
Chapina Bakery
Cynthia Cephas Photography
Enterprise Dental Care
Gina S Duncan Insurance Agency dba LiveScan \ MD Fingerprinting Services
Infinity Mental Health
IROK Consulting
Junction Catering and Jerk Center
MMC Consulting
Oral Health Guardians dba Camp Springs Pediatric Dentistry
Perfect Harmony II
Sidnae Global Enterprises
TANTV
WEFIX
Xcellent Meals
Ready to create transformative partnerships in your community? Explore corporate partnership opportunities at www.thecommunityfoundation.org/corporate-giving