TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Thousands of small businesses entered Barclay Bank’s annual “Small Business Big Wins” contest, submitting essays and photos describing the challenges of building a business and sharing their unique journeys. Of the plethora of entries, ten finalists were selected and showcased for public voting. On Wednesday, Barclays announced the grand winner.

Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen, a restaurant based in Troy, took home the top spot, winning a grand prize of $60,000. Sunhee’s Kitchen, known for authentic Korean food, also employs immigrant Americans from around the world and offers free virtual English classes for adults.

“We are incredibly grateful to our supporters in the community who rallied behind us during the voting process,” said Jinah Kim, owner of Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen. “A big mission for us is working with immigrants and providing educational programming and professional development. This cash influx from Barclays will enable us to bolster these programs and reach more people in our community.”

The remaining finalists all received prizes. Barclays also awarded 50 participants $2,000 each through a random drawing. In total, $255,000 was awarded to small businesses across the U.S.

“Small businesses were forced to adapt during the pandemic and now face tough economic conditions,” said Jill Neilson, Director of US Business Cards at Barclays. “Our annual contest supports and provides capital to small businesses who play a critical role in fueling our economy and providing jobs and services to our communities.”