22 | 2024 IMPACT REPORT Feedback From the Pajaro Disaster Relief Grant A familiar dream motivated my immigration to United States in the 1980s: to build a better life for my wife, children and myself. I decided that my way to contribute was to create a business and that led to the founding of H&R Tools. H&R Tools refurbishes tools and heavy equipment, and I also sell new equipment. When I first started in the late 1980’s, I mainly sold at flea markets throughout northern California. As word of mouth started to spread about our excellent services, I decided to rent a brick-andmortar location. Since 2009, I have been proudly serving the Pajaro community. The devastating floods of 2023 interrupted that service but Monterey County—through the Monterey County Workforce Development Board’s Pajaro Small Business Grant program— provided crucial financial support to help us get back on our feet. Due to the MCWDB’s funding I have been able to paint both the interior and exterior of our business, giving it a fresh and updated look. Their funding also helped us improve our signage and install an awning. Due to these changes, our customer foot traffic has increased, which has increased our sales and given us a fighting chance to recover. I deeply appreciate the MCWDB’s support during this difficult period. Their caring and supportive staff helped us during every step of the application process and provided constant support. Words cannot express how much we appreciate the funding and technical support that we’ve been provided, and we are looking forward to serving the Pajaro community for many years to come! Sincerely, Heriberto Romero Owner, H&R Tools Before After
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