For the second year in a row, the Philadelphia Flyers are providing advertising assets to local small businesses through its Hometown Assist Program. This year, five businesses were selected to receive $100,000 each in advertising funds. They will be able to get promotions through radio commercials, social/digital, in-arena activation, and LED signage. 

The award came out of a desire to help local businesses that were struggling due to the pandemic. 

When the program first launched in 2020 Valerie Camillo, President of Business Operations for the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center said, “We recognize that an overwhelming number of small businesses in the Philadelphia area have struggled to remain on their feet during the COVID-19 pandemic. These businesses are crucial to Philadelphia's culture and economy, and the Flyers are positioned to help in a unique way.” 

The businesses that received this year’s awards are Wooder Ice, The New Lou & Choo’s, Beverly Shakur Catering, Human Resources Managers on the Move (HR MOM LLC), and Devil’s Creek Brewery. 

Wooder Ice is a Latino-owned “blogazine” about Philadelphia. In addition to the content they make that showcases other small businesses, Wooder Ice also sells Philadelphia-themed merchandise. 

The New Lou & Choo’s is a Latino and Black-owned bar and grill located in North Philadelphia. The current owners took over in 2015, but the restaurant itself has been around since the 1980s. They host community events like back-to-school drives and turkey giveaways. 

Beverly Shakur Catering is a Black-owned soul food catering service based in South Philadelphia. Like the New Lou and Choo’s, they host back-to-school drives as well as community days where they feed local residents on holidays.

HR MOM LLC is a Black and female-owned business that provides other small businesses with HR services. They focus on recruitment and operations management. In 2021, they presented a woman who was transitioning from homelessness to a home with a Dynamic Woman of Resilience Award. This gave her the funds to purchase supplies and furnishings for her new home. 

Devil’s Creek Brewery is a female-owned microbrewery in Collingswood, NJ. They host charity events and local fundraisers. 

This time around, in addition to the five main awardees, ten other businesses will be given a hospitality suite at a Flyers game.

“This year's Hometown Assist winners represent an amazing, diverse collection of businesses that mean so much to our city and the entire region. We work every day to make a positive impact in our communities, and this program has made an incredible difference for so many local businesses and the families they support,” said Joe Meade, Vice President of Community Relations and Government Affairs for the Philadelphia Flyers. 

The Flyers aren’t the only Philadelphia sports team that started a program to help small businesses during the pandemic. The 76ers have two programs in place, Spirit of Small Business and the Buy Black Program. 

The Spirit of Small Business sees the Sixers collaborate with and shout out local businesses on their social media. The Buy Black Program is similar to Hometown Assist, in that local Black-owned businesses are selected and receive promotion and marketing plans from the team.