Photo taken on Jan. 31, 2021 shows a COVID-19 vaccination site in San Francisco, California, the United States.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced the launch of a new initiative to promote small business economic recovery and community vibrancy in the city.

The initiative, "Avenue Greenlight," will deploy privately donated dollars to San Francisco merchant associations to be used for projects to improve commercial corridors. The ultimate goal of Avenue Greenlight is to uplift local small businesses to help them adapt and recover from the current challenges.

Over the coming months, all 34 of San Francisco's merchants associations will individually receive a 50,000-U.S.-dollar grant of new resources allocated from Avenue Greenlight, starting with the Castro, Bayview, Chinatown, and Clement Street commercial corridors.

Grants will total 1.7 million dollars and will be administered in a tiered format with three to four new merchant association grants released each subsequent month moving forward based on diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations, the announcement said.

"Now more than ever we need everyone to step up and support their neighbors," said Breed. "Our small businesses are struggling and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that San Francisco comes out of this pandemic even stronger than before."