KISSIMMEE, Fla. — On a strip of historic Kissimmee Main Street, businesses continue to fight to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think we are about a 60% comeback of where we were last year,” according to Jackie Espinosa, who owns seven businesses in the area. “I think people are still fearful.”

In order to get by, Espinosa applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans for some of her struggling businesses. 

“It was a Band-Aid for the time being,” she said. 

The third round of the Small Business Administration’s paycheck protection program loans will emphasize helping minority-owned business owners like Espinosa, the SBA announced. She plans on applying again to help kick-start her business.

“As we developed into the new era of the pandemic, it’s important that we understand this is survival,” she said.

The SBA reports 27% of PPP loans it distributed went toward “low and moderate [income] communities,” where many minorities live.

However, several businesses in the Kissimmee area still need help just to apply.

 “Some of our business owners speak more Spanish than English, and it’s tough for them to understand the logistics behind the actual PPP requirements,” Espinosa said.

The Main Street Board is helping out with that issue, providing business owners with step-by-step bilingual instructions and helping them connect with a local bank. The last time PPP loans were distributed, the Main Street Board helped about 40 businesses, Espinosa said.

“Our role is to make the business owners, local and in downtown, feel like they have someone to talk to,” said Espinosa, a Main Street board member.

She said she hopes the conversation will lead to a thriving downtown again.