SBA Honors Outstanding Disaster Recovery Efforts
Phoenix Award were presented last week during a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) National Small Business Week event. Since 1998, the SBA has presented Phoenix Awards to business owners, public officials and volunteers who displayed selflessness, ingenuity and tenacity in the aftermath of a disaster, while contributing to the rebuilding of their communities. “These individuals demonstrated tremendous courage and resourcefulness in the midst of several devastating disasters,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “The Phoenix Award acknowledges their heroic efforts, and is a symbol of appreciation for their contributions to the economic recovery of their communities.” Gianna P. Cerbone-Teoli, owner of Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City, NY, received the Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the basement of Gianna Cerbone-Teoli’s Italian restaurant Manducatis Rustica was flooded, a