Did You Know?
The Community Bank Entrepreneurial Collaborative is still helping small businesses apply for the Paycheck Protection Program!


Have you been able to seek financial relief through the Paycheck Protection Program? If your bank cannot provide support or if you don’t have a local bank,  The Community Bank Entrepreneurial Collaborative  may be able to help. The CBEC is a collaboration of local organizations that helps connect small businesses to a select group of local lending partners. The initiative has currently helped 42 small businesses receive approximately 1.7 million dollars in much needed funding. If interested in hearing more or if you want to apply for the program please email questions to David.Bradley@athensga.com .

CBEC Testimonial
 "I can't thank you enough for putting me in touch with Rhodes McLanahan (First American Bank), he has went way over board to help me & he is one of the nicest men you could ever meet. Most people won't do for you what he has done for me. I want to say again a very big THANK YOU!"

-Larry Tyner, Tyners Truck & Auto Repair .
Upcoming Chamber Chats

Join us every Wednesday as we get Business/Community Updates with:

More details about this call can be found here .
We have partnered with The Classic Center and Terrapin Beer Co. to present Band Together – a weekly virtual concert series that will bring your favorite entertainers right to your doorstep. Join us every Thursday night at 7:00 PM on YouTube at Band Together Athens for some at-home entertainment. You won’t want to miss this! You can donate to show support for your favorite band and proceeds will go to support the Athens Area Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

More details about Band Together can be found here .
As you make plans to open your business, the importance of safety and health are critically important. We believe that those businesses that take a proactive approach to the health and safety of their customers and employees will be the most sustainable. You can expect to walk away from this Chamber Chat with several ideas for best practices to open up in a healthy and safe fashion!

More details about this call can be found here .
From barriers to reopening, to big questions about immunity and liability, to ways employers can incorporate screening, social-distancing, and other innovative approaches into the workplace, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s program series  Path Forward  will foster dialogue on helping America prepare to restart the economy and get millions of people back to work.  

Featuring deep-dive conversations with a cross-sector of experts led by U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Clark,  Path Forward  will air twice-weekly every Monday and Thursday to explore the complex issues that must be considered as part of a responsible reopening strategy.  


More details about this call can be found here .
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is hosting a webinar to answer questions on what to do with your PPP Loan. Questions submitted in advance will receive priority in being answered during the webinar. Submit PPP questions by Wednesday to  athens@georgiasbdc.org  with the subject line:  PPP Webinar Question .
The Athens Area Chamber is always looking for new ways to bring value to our members and we think we have found a new sales tool that you are going to love! It’s an e-gift card solution called Giftfly , which will be a new way to boost sales and bring in additional dollars NOW , when you need it most.

Click here to learn more about how using Giftfly can be beneficial to your business!

The Biomat USA Plasma Center in Downtown Athens is actively seeking donors to help replenish the nation's supply of plasma, and they can't do this without your help and support! Plasma is used to treat autoimmune deficiencies such as hemophilia, Alpha-1,burn victims, rabies, hepatitis, and many more. 

The health and safety of all of their employees and donors is their top priority. They continue to closely monitor the pandemic and will continue to follow the guidance that is communicated by the health authorities. They have implemented protocols as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 . They are limiting the number of donors in our centers by taking appointments, seating donors every other donation bed, and temporarily reducing the number of available seats in the lobby. They are also enhancing existing cleaning protocols, monitoring employee and donor temperatures, and following guidelines on hand hygiene. Importantly, they ask that donors and employees only come to one of our centers if they feel well and are healthy. 

Click here to learn more about how to become a donor and help save lives!

Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department recently announced the opening of some parks in Athens! Ben Burton, Memorial, and Walker Parks (formerly Trail Creek Park) opened on Monday, May 18th. Sandy Creek Park opened today, May 19th. Dudley Park, the Firefly, Greenway, and Sandy Creek Nature Center trails will also remain open. All other parks and facilities will remain closed at this time. 
Join the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) and Clarke County School District (CCSD) 2020 graduates on May 22 nd  from 3:00 to 4:30 pm for an Athens High School Student Graduation Caravan. The AADM will organize a caravan-style graduation celebration for Clarke County School District graduates. ALL Athens high school graduates are welcome to attend!

The AADM will also continue to service Athens Clarke County youth by re-opening Teen Social Justice Club. Beginning June 12th, 2020, students can attend a series of summer activities which include outdoor (parks) exploration, journaling, and photography to help document their experiences. We will practice social distancing and only 10 students can register due to COVID-19.  Click here to register!

As you may know, the coloration between the COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic, drug abuse and overdose is putting our communities at greater risk. The Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division would like to share a no-cost drug education program for the workplace. Discovery Education and DEA have expanded their Operation Prevention partnership to include Workplace Resources. This is a  FREE  series of four self-paced interactive modules designed to raise awareness and educate adults in the workplace about the opioid epidemic.  Click here to learn more!
Be sure to continue checking our  Covid-19 Resources  page for all of our upcoming calls, recordings of previous calls, and important resources relating to Covid-19 in Athens.
Follow us on social media!