As a private, member-driven, not-for-profit corporation, the Chamber is not immune to the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe impact the economic crisis has had on Delaware County businesses. Due to greatly reduced membership dues revenue, loss of sponsorships, and the ineligibility to seek federal relief funding, difficult business decisions had to be made to preserve available resources for the recovery efforts ahead. As of last week, Chamber staff have been laid off through at least July 1 until funds are available to resume more normal operation.
Chamber directors and volunteers will continue the crisis management assistance, information resources, and promotion efforts that were initiated during the past several weeks. Our tourism marketing team continues to collaborate with our I Love NY partners on a recovery campaign to capitalize on pent-up demand once travel restrictions are lifted.
We’re taking the necessary steps today so that the Chamber can continue to be a vital part of our region’s future.
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Binghamton SBDC Virtual Lunch & Learn:
Seven Recovery Activities
Small Businesses Should Do NOW
SBDC Advisors Liam McMahon and Jordan Jicha will be reviewing seven key activities that all small businesses should be doing right now to prepare to reopen their businesses in the coming weeks.
In addition, our team will be available for Q&A on best practices, PPP and EIDL loans, HR, and other small business crisis recovery topics.
Tuesday, May 5, 12:00pm
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Listen to Crisis Management and Recovery Workshop Recording
GrowthWheel for Crisis Management is a tool designed to help you make good and helpful decisions during a crisis. These tools encourage you to identify personal challenges, look for financial warning signals, and establish a solution plan. It includes decision sheets specifically designed to improve the operational aspect of the crisis.
Chamber member GrowthWheel is a worldwide recognized visual tool to help entrepreneurs make decisions and take action.
All webinar participants will receive 20 one-page worksheets at no cost for your use. Additionally, we have created a team of trained volunteers who have offered to guide you through the worksheets to find the ones that are most useful to your business.
This workshop is for business owners and managers, and will help guide participants through how make the best decisions in business during these stressful times.
Register to receive a copy of the recording
here.
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ripeCommunity:
A collaborative platform for listing and finding local food options during the COVID-19 crisis
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We understand things are rapidly changing and recognize the need for a collaborative solution that will provide consumers accurate information about local food availability while giving local businesses access to markets. Along with other regional entities, including Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship, Delaware County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Watershed Agricultural Council, Pure Catskills, Great Western Catskills, and the Food and Health Network of South Central NY, the Chamber encourages local food businesses (farms, farm businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, and others) to use this shared directory to get your information out to the community!
The ripeCommunity Directory allows food businesses to create a listing for themselves and update food availability in real time, giving consumers a cost-free, one source, way to access accurate information about food options, hours of operations, ordering instructions, and food safety precautions. Community members can also use this platform to understand donation support options, regardless of a business’ operational status.
Instructions for food businesses and consumers can be found by
clicking here.
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FREE Workforce Training Available
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CDO Workforce
has made Metrix Learning® available to all unemployed and underemployed residents of Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, and Otsego counties. Metrix Learning® is a comprehensive platform that delivers career exploration tools, career pathways, job search tools, assessments, and online skill training. Customers will have the ability to virtually register, update job skills via e-learning courses, track their progress (e.g. course completions, hours, skill badges, etc.) and explore careers.
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SUNY Delhi
is offering 10 free non-credit classes through the online education platform Ed2Go. These are available from April 29 - June 30, 2020. Topics include website development, customer service, marketing, personal finance, fundamentals of supervision and management, job search skills, and individual excellence. Each class is a self-paced tutorial with 24 hours' worth of content that you can complete on your own time. Classes are for personal/professional development and cannot be applied toward a SUNY Delhi degree.
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ONC BOCES Seeks Your Input
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ONC BOCES has started the recruitment process for a new District Superintendent. ONC BOCES values input from local business and community partners, and is seeking feedback regarding the ideal characteristics of the new District Superintendent.
The deadline to participate is 10:00 on May 4.
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Childcare Funds Available for Essential Workers
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Delaware Opportunities is excited to announce that the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and Governor Cuomo’s Administration have developed a plan to provide child care to essential workers (https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026) . This allocation of funding for child care for essential workers comes to the state from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”).
Essential workers (who are income eligible*) using a regulated child care provider will receive a scholarship for the cost of care as long as the funds to support it are available. All OCFS regulated providers who are providing child care for essential workers are eligible to participate in this new program.
New York State’s plan will ensure that the workforce that is needed to protect and care for the public during this pandemic will have the child care that they need that allows them to perform their critical jobs. A member of our statewide network of CCR&Rs is available in every community, eager to work with you to access this new program.
If you have employees that are classified as essential workers and are income eligible, and are looking for child care or a child care provider for essential workers please contact your local CCR&R agency, Delaware Opportunities at 607-746-1620. Or families can click on this link for the Cares Scholarship application
https://forms.gle/9Fk827RCQu3bokNA6
The Delaware Opportunities Child Care Resource R staff are your local child care experts, able to assist individual essential workers and/or provide you with information on their services for you to distribute to your workforce
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Partnering with our friends at the MARK Project and our local chambers of commerce throughout Delaware County, we’re helping connect restaurants, farm stores and stands, beverage producers, bottle shops, and general stores with customers at
SisBoomYum.com
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Tips, Techniques and Exercises for Stress Relief and Self Care
The Chamber has partnered with Maia Wilde of
Maia Wilde Consulting
in Treadwell to provide stress relief tips and techniques for use in a business setting or at home.
This three part video takes you through a variety of poses, exercises and planning tips created to release tension from the body and the mind and help us navigate the uncertainties we are facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The New York State Office of Mental Health Emotional Support Helpline provides free and confidential support, helping callers experiencing increased anxiety due to the coronavirus emergency. The Helpline is staffed by volunteers, including mental health professionals, who have received training in crisis counseling. Call
1-844-863-9314.
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Tell Everyone that You're OPEN FOR BUSINESS
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Our "Open for Business" series highlights a different Chamber member each weekday on the Chamber's Facebook page.
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U.S. Chamber Guides to Federal Assistance
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The
Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist serves as a comprehensive step-by-step tool to help small businesses, independent contractors, gig economy workers and other qualifying individuals prepare to file for a coronavirus relief loan under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The guide has been updated to include new information from the U.S. Department of Treasury.
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The CARES Act expanded the Small Business Administration’s long-standing Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The program is applicable to small businesses and most small nonprofits (less than 500 employees), sole proprietors and independent contractors. Check eligibility, understand loan parameters, and
find out how to access up to $10,000 in emergency grants.
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"Catskills Commerce" is on the Air and Online
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The Chamber's bi-weekly radio program is a great source of current information that you can use in your business. Alternating Friday afternoons, at 1:00 pm, on WIOX 91.3FM, WDTU 107.5 FM, and www.wioxradio.org.
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"Essential Business" Rules Revised (Again)
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Empire State Development, the economic development office for New York State recently released new rules to determine essential businesses.
Note that the exemption for sole proprietors or single employee has been removed.
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Chamber Creates COVID-19 Business Resource Site
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As small business owners across Delaware County are grappling with the current and potential impacts associated with COVID-19, the Chamber staff continues to track the latest developments from healthcare agencies, local, state, and federal officials, and our business association partners.
The site includes articles, information, and tools you can share with your staff and use for your company. We will continue to update this list as conditions change and we learn more.
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The Chamber has partnered with New Haven Consulting Group, Inc. to provide our members with an online
“Preventing Sexual Harassment"
workshop that meets the requirements of the new law.
This program is available at a Chamber-member reduced price of $20 per participant.
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FREE WORKSHOPS
Our partners at New Haven Consulting Group are also offering two FREE online workshops:
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FREE (Virtual) One-on-One Business Counseling Sessions in Delhi
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The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering FREE comprehensive programming to provide management and technical assistance to small businesses in Delaware County!
Specializing in direct one-to-one counseling, the SBDC offers assistance in the following business areas:
- Start-up assistance
- Business Plan Development
- Accounting and Financial Projections
- Sources of Financing
- Marketing
- Business Expansion
- Relocation and Agribusiness
There is no cost for the counseling services of the SBDC.
Reservations are required for the one hour appointments. To make your reservation for
Tuesday, May 26 (10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.) email us at info@delawarecounty.org.
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The Delaware County Chamber is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit membership organization. We believe that healthy communities begin with healthy businesses. By focusing on key areas–community and economic development, advocacy, tourism promotion, and business engagement–we partner with municipal leaders, community organizations, and local companies to present a unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities.
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5 1/2 Main Street
Delhi, New York 13753
Give Us A Call: 607.746.2281
DelawareCounty.org
GreatWesternCatskills.com
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