CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago kicked off National Small Business Week on Monday on the city’s South Side.

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Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at *play — toys and books, a new local shop in Hyde Park.

Local officials highlighted the fact that small businesses help create Chicago’s character and build a strong local economy.

Small businesses employ nearly half of the country’s workforce.

National Small Business Week runs through Friday, and is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“SBA is delighted to honor Illinois small businesses that drive local economies, generate employment, and foster strong communities,” stated Willette LeGrant, district director of SBA Illinois.

Illinois has more than 1.3 million small businesses.

The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection will host webinars and boost social efforts throughout the week.

Helping Veterans

One Chicago business owner is helping veterans who are unhoused get to work and get back on their feet.

“I realized that one essential step we needed to take to make a tangible impact in our own community was to get down to work,” explained Mark Doyle, founder of Veteran Roasters.

Doyle is creating life-changing jobs for veterans facing hardship. He spent a year in a war zone, working as a contractor in Afghanistan.

“Upon my return to Chicago in 2012, there were 2,000 veterans experiencing homelessness right in the city. By then, we were a decade into what turned out to be a 20-year conflict. This led to a dramatic rise in homelessness,” Doyle mentioned.

Doyle got to work, starting an apparel company run by at-risk veterans in Chicago.

Rags of Honor led to his new business, Veteran Roasters, a coffee shop in the Loop.

U.S. Navy veteran Dion West runs day-to-day operations at the cafe.

“When I started, to where I am now, I’m a whole different person. My outlook on life is a little bit better because I know that there’s somebody, that there’s an organization behind me that has my back. Even if I fall, there are systems in place that will catch me and say ‘we’ve got your back,'” West said.

Doyle estimates that he’s hired 120 veterans over his decade in business.

He says it’s not a handout. It’s just a hand up for the men and women who wore the uniform.

“I’ve had grown men say ‘can I give you a hug?’ and start to cry when I say these words: You are hired,” Doyle said.

“When you walk into that type of environment, you want to stay with it, and you want to be attached to it because the minute you walk in you just feel something different. You have a cause and you have another mission,” West said.

Doyle also helps to find housing for his workers. He partnered with “a safe haven.”

The North Lawndale foundation provides shelter and support services for many veterans. And it serves as a hiring pipeline for the business.

“They take veterans off the street. They house them; they train them, get them their culinary certificates. We hire veterans; so, it became the perfect partnership,” Doyle said.

It’s not just business, it’s personal. Employees at Veteran Roasters say they’re inspired by Doyle, fostering a culture of respect and support.

“It’s a work family. It’s not like a boss-employee relationship. It’s more of a family here, and I love that,” said U.S. Navy veteran Rose Hanks, lead barista at Veteran Roasters. “This job has meant a lot to me because of what it stands for. There’s not many jobs that are offered to veterans to help other veterans.”

“We weren’t going to change the whole world, but we were going to change the world around us. And it was that simple: How do we make a difference, where we live, for veterans who are in need?” Doyle said.

Doyle has plans to expand Veteran Roasters into the Pullman neighborhood. The 17,000-square-foot site would include a commercial roasting facility, a brewpub and cafe.

That business will allow him to hire another 60 veterans.

Through state funding and a city grant, they’re set to break ground this summer and open by Veterans Day next year.