CareSource Foundation Provides Relief for Countless Small Businesses in Indiana

Insurance Provider Assists 800+ Small Businesses in Marion County Through Ready to Restart Grants

(INDIANAPOLIS – Oct. 30, 2020) – CareSource, a leading multi-state managed care plan, has assisted over 800 Marion County small businesses with financial relief as part of their Ready to Restart initiative. CareSource announced plans back in June with a donation of $180,000 to the Ready to Restart Program. Administered by the Indy Chamber through its Business Ownership Initiative (BOI), the program aimed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners purchase necessary PPE and other health and safety-related items or services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The small businesses that were helped as part of the Ready to Restart initiative have made more than 97% of their payment across the portfolio,” says Ian Nicolini, Chief Operating Officer of the Indy Chamber. “It’s made a huge difference in keeping businesses open.”

Recipients ranged in industry, with many receiving assistance in the health and wellness and restaurant and retail sector. Some among them include The Academy Volleyball Club, Children’s Therapy Connection Inc., Indy Youth Smiles Dentistry LLC, and Mavris Arts & Events Center, all of which received the maximum reimbursement of $5,000.

Eligible businesses included those within Marion County with 150 or fewer employees. Qualified purchases included but were not limited to masks, hand sanitizer stations, partitions, disinfectants or other purchases made to abide by social distancing guidelines while reopening.

“We were able to reimburse small business owners for PPE products representing over 20,000 employees,” says Rick Proctor, Executive Director of Entrepreneur Services and BOI for the Indy Chamber. “The positive effect of programs like this in our community cannot be overstated.”

Steve Smitherman, Indiana Market President at CareSource, reiterates the importance of this grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. “At CareSource, we believe in supporting both the health of our members and the surrounding communities they live in. We are so glad that the contributions our organization made to local businesses were able to help them safely reopen.”