It's been more than a week since the St. Louis County prosecutor released the decision by a grand jury not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for shooting Michael Brown. The verdict prompted riots throughout Ferguson, Mo., and protests across the country.

Residents and other individuals expressed their displeasure with the decision by burning and looting local businesses, many of which are minority-owned. The owners had no role in the decision process and yet they have paid a very high price – losing their businesses, livelihoods and years of hard work. A final price on the damage has yet to be determined, but most are beginning the restoration process, anxious to reopen their doors.

Some owners tried to take precautions by boarding up their establishments before the announcement. Michael Hosto, director of culture and leadership for 1-800-BOARDUP, Inc. said before the decision was announced they saw a spike in board up service requests from their St. Louis area customers. "Our team was hoping for the best, but we were planning for the worst," says Hosto, who has been a disaster recovery professional for more than 25 years. "However this is not just 'business as usual' for us. This hits us in the heart. My daughters are fifth generation St. Louis natives. All of our hearts ache for this community."