How $15,000 ‘Pay It Forward’ grant gives underserved business owners a chance to soar | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 20, 2024
Robert Meredith, owner of Yummy Bones Barbecue, had humble beginnings, first selling food at a gas station in Port Washington.
“I just had a Weber grill, a Nesco, and I smoked some pork,” Meredith said.
Over time, his menu expanded, as did his business. He moved from a grill at a gas station to servicing nearby festivals in a food trailer.
Then he started a full restaurant under a bowling alley, bought a food truck and, eventually, his current barbecue and catering restaurant at 201 N Franklin St., in downtown Port Washington.
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But it was being selected as a participant in the Pay It Forward program in 2023 that helped propel him to opening a second location.
Pay It Forward is a national program sponsored by Spectrum Reach, the advertising sales business of cable operator Charter Communications.
The program provides underserved small business owners with a free streaming campaign worth $15,000, which includes a custom produced 30-second commercial and other support, said Jay Saunders, senior manager of communications at Charter.
“We try to find local marketing experts that these businesses can work with, in addition to the 30-second spot,” Saunders said.  “We line them up with mentors in both marketing and business.”
This year Pay It Forward will support 250 small businesses, Saunders said. The deadline to apply for the program is Sunday, Feb. 25.
Meredith, who is preparing to open his new takeout and delivery restaurant within the Paper Table Food Co., at 733 N. Milwaukee St., said the commercial developed through Pay It Forward made all the difference in the world.
“I think a lot of people think advertising doesn’t really work, but I’m living proof that it’s working,” he said.
Yummy Bones’ free ad was aired in the region 1,500 times over three months, Meredith said. Soon after it began running, people walked into Yummy Bones talking about it.
“It really did well for my business and brought a lot of people that didn’t even know I was here into the restaurant,” he said.
Saunders said Pay It Forward is looking to have either nine to 10 grant recipients be from Milwaukee, adding that it’s one of the company’s largest media markets.
In a written statement, Michael Guth, senior vice president of marketing at Spectrum Reach, stated that Pay it Forward is an element of the company’s dedication to the communities it serves.
“Small, underserved businesses are critical to the local economies of the cities and towns we serve, and they often need help connecting their message to their potential customers,” Guth wrote.
Since the program launched in 2021, it has provided resources for more than 2,500 underserved businesses in 36 states, ranging from child care facilities, law firms and restaurants.
Meredith, who celebrated the 10-year-anniversary of opening his first full restaurant on Feb. 14,  said he hopes to expand his business.
“As long as I can get the food in people’s mouths, I believe I can get them coming back,” Meredith said.
The deadline to apply for the grant is Sunday, Feb. 25. Here’s the application.