Local entrepreneur who awards grants to small businesses receives act of kindness from Helpful Honda

In honor of Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month, ABC7 has teamed up with Helpful Honda to support outstanding individuals who are making a difference in their community, such as Lina Cordero of Only Child Design.

"I'm Hispanic myself, I'm Latina born in Costa Rica, and it's a community that needs help," Cordero said.

The local entrepreneur awards graphic design grants to small business owners, specifically Latinas.

She explained that when the pandemic started, she saw there was a need to help businesses pivot to be set up for success online.

"What we decided to do was open a program where we would help people for free with their design needs. Now, it's a grant that we provide to businesses once per quarter," she said. "I'm not a millionaire, I'm not a politician, and that's the only way that I can help my community with what I do best."

Helpful Honda surprised Cordero by covering the cost of the quarterly design grants for the rest of the year. The surprise nearly moved Cordero to tears, saying it will assist her efforts in continuing to help the community.

This pay-it-forward theme is something she encourages in the small businesses that she helps with the grants.

Cordero said one of the questions she asks in her grant application process is: "Tell us how you could help one person with your business."

"So we make sure that those businesses continue to help other people," Cordero said.

For more information, visit www.onlychildesign.com.