New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon visited a number of Sunnyside businesses Thursday morning to outline the various free tools and workforce development initiatives available to small businesses throughout the state. The state’s Department of Labor, for example, can provide businesses with access to the NYS Jobs Bank and Virtual Career Center, helping to reduce the significant costs small businesses face when filling a role. However, she said the agency is “here to help” small businesses, describing Sunnyside’s small businesses as the fabric of the local community. She said it is imperative that local small business have the tools to succeed, describing empty storefronts as detrimental to neighborhoods. “(Small businesses) employ people.