Find current resources for businesses as it relates to COVID-19. The Chamber is working to keep resources available in an easy-to-find way. We hope you find tools that will assist you as we navigate this pandemic.
You can also find the most recent news releases, orders, and information HERE.
Business Impact Survey
March 25, 2020
How is COVID-19 Affecting Your Business?
Take a short survey to help identify opportunities for financial relief and prepare advocacy materials. We will use the results to inform key leaders in their efforts to will help Athens County recover from impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Individual responses will remain confidential.
Take the survey HERE.
Athens County Resource Guide
March 23, 2020
The Athens County Economic Development Council, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and
Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau created a resource guide to help area businesses. This guide will help navigate through financial challenges businesses and organizations may be facing as a direct result of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. We will update as new assistance programs and resources become available at the local, state and federal levels. This document categorizes assistance into three priority focus areas:
- Resources
- Relief
- Rebound
Joint Release from Athens County Partners
Anthem Support Guide
March 28, 2020
Our healthcare partners at Anthem provided information about how the benefits available will support businesses. Find out more at www.anthem.com/blog.
Anthem – COVID-19 Support Guide
Free Ad for Chamber Members
March 17, 2020
The Post, as well as many businesses in our community are quickly adapting to an ever changing business model and we work through these next several weeks.
Our staff relies on the business community, and knows that our partners are facing some struggles as we move into spring. As a chamber member, and to show our support to the organization that provides so many valuable tools and opportunities for member businesses, we want to be able to support the chamber businesses that we can during this transitional time.
We, at the Post, are changing how we do business, and how we distribute our editorial content in the upcoming weeks. The editorial team has plans to print and distribute our weekly tabloid the next two weeks and will continue to evaluate production through the rest of the semester. The Post, which is distributed throughout campus and community locations will continue delivery to campus locations that are open during this time (specific campus buildings that are occupied, grocers, gas stations, pharmacies, and business locations) additionally we will have our paper inserted into subscriber (home delivery) papers in the Athens.
Because the chamber is a valued advertising partner- we will extend a full page ad that will list chamber member businesses who are open, offering amended services (ie delivery/ pick-up services) to keep the community informed. We invite chamber businesses that are retail, and dining establishments to submit your amended hours and any change in services- we will include it to help get the information in front of community members who may not be followers of your social media pages- or have restricted their local travel in the last week.
The ad, in addition to be printed in Thursdays paper, will also be distributed as a sponsored post on our social media channels, a schedule of the posts will be emailed to participating businesses so they can update their listing as necessary.
This offer is open to Chamber members in good standing, deadline for inclusion is Wednesday March 18th at 2:00 pm
The first social media post will be sent on Thursday March 19th at 9:00 am
Please email postadvertising@ohio.edu. Space is limited, it is our desire to include the greatest number of businesses possible. Please include the following information:
- business name
- special business changes (ie delivery only, curbside pickup only, drive though etc.)
- street address and phone
We will include ALL of the information on the social media ads- but may truncate some information to include everyone who responds in the print version.
Business Toolkit Released from chamber
March 10, 2020
The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce is monitoring communication about the developing situation involving the coronavirus (COVID-19.) The Chamber understands this may have an impact on our business community and want you to have the support and resources you need.
We believe that businesses should be reviewing their plans and how they might prepare for the current and possible impacts of COVID-19 virus.
Review Protections for Staff and Customers
Encourage staff to wash hands diligently and ensure there is appropriate cleaning supplies for workstations and public areas. Businesses should consider offering the ability to work remotely, if possible. This is especially important for ill or immune-compromised staff.
Find Resources for Business and Employers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HERE.
Stay Connected
Staying connected to both what is being communicated from public health officials and what you need to say to your customer base is important. While there is a lot of uncertainty about this developing, you are in control of how your business responds.
The Chamber suggests making your response and plans known to your customer base. This can include current precautions you are taking to protect staff and customers, whether you are operating business as usual, or if you plan to impact customer interactions. Adjust your communication plan to reflect the decisions.
Review Business Continuity Plan
While we hope the current measures are due to pro-active response, we understand this may significantly disrupt your operations. Reviewing your business’s current disaster and recovery plan is ideal. Visit Ready.Gov to create your own Business Continuity Plan.