Tuesday April 7, 2020
Hello Chamber Members and Partners,

Here are the latest updates and resources for businesses and employees during this uncertain time.

Send us any questions or updates you may have, we are here to help provide information, connect the dots and assure those in the North Country that we will get through this together.

Onward and Be Well!
Hospital staff is working around the clock and risking their own health to care for our North Country residents. Restaurants are struggling to stay open, and people want to know how they can help others get through this challenging time.

Feed Our Frontline is an initiative that brings it all together.

"With this initiative, those who are able to make a contribution can support and thank our front line health care workers while also providing some needed support to our area restaurants," says Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. "Many have been asking how to do this and we are pleased to provide a pathway. We thank all in advance who can make a contribution. Stay well."  

All funds raised will be used to buy food for our frontline at area hospitals. By donating, you’ll be supporting local restaurants and providing a free meal for the people who are working so hard to keep us healthy.

The North Country Chamber of Commerce wants to thank our incredible health care teams and provide residents and corporations with an easy way to show their support. We understand the stress restaurants are under to keep their doors open, and we look forward to working with you to get through this.

If you would like to help support the health care community and local restaurants, DONATE TODAY.

*Your donation is tax deductible. All funds will be passed on to our member hospitals to provide meals for staff.
DAIRY FARMS IMPACTED BY CORONAVIRUS
Farming, including Dairy Farming, is a vital part of the North Country economy. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the impact on our Dairy farms is growing. The normal markets for their products have been disrupted as restaurants and schools are closed and people visit grocery stores less often. Like many other industry sectors, farmers need assistance to get through this, and the assistance must meet their special needs, which are often different than for other types of businesses. The Chamber is working, in cooperation with the Farm Bureau , to identify resources to help farmers during this difficult time.

The CARES Act provided some assistance for farmers, and we’ve provided some of the options below.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Farms are eligible to apply for PPP loans. However, the requirement that compensation for employees whose principal place of residence is outside the United States cannot be used when calculating the reimbursement may reduce the amount that can be accessed through the program. Here is a link to the Chamber website with information on where to apply for PPP loans and other assistance programs.

Department of Agriculture
The CARES Act included $9.5 billion to provide financial support to farmers and ranchers impacted by coronavirus. This will allow USDA to begin crafting an appropriate relief program for agriculture. The Chamber will be monitoring developments on this front as information becomes available to help ensure the funding is implemented in appropriate ways.

Funding to replenish the Agriculture Department’s Commodity Credit Corporation. This money may be used, in part, for the Agency’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP) to help farms that export to foreign markets.

We encourage our elected representatives to provide addition more flexible and more immediate support appropriate to the unique circumstances of the dairy farms and other types of farms in our communities in upcoming stimulus packages.

We also encourage everyone to buy local dairy products. Drink more milk and eat more cheese!
THANK A TRUCKER!
“We’ve all noticed that the grocery store shelves are staying filled and fruit & vegetables are reappearing overnight, as well as milk, cereal, steak, soap, juice and canned food. Really, for a society fighting a pandemic, we have plenty of just about everything.

Here’s why: some time during the day or night a tractor trailer turns into the store’s vacant parking lot, piloted by a driver who safely guides the big machine backwards to sync with the loading dock. Then he (or she) waits while pallets are removed carrying much needed supplies. It happens tens of thousands of times a day, all over Canada and America, mostly hidden from a public that arrives within hours to fill carts. 

Ninety per cent of all consumer goods move by truck. Sometimes they move by ship or train first, but eventually, they’re delivered by truck. If you got it, as the saying goes, a truck brought it.”

We at The North Country Chamber of Commerce applaud all the truck drivers who are working countless hours to keep our shelves stocked and our needs meet! THANK YOU!


STAY AT HOME EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 29
Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended the "N.Y. on PAUSE" executive order through April 29th. This means non-essential businesses and schools will remain closed until at least then.
CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE LIT WITH RAINBOW LIGHTS TO COMBAT THE COVID-19 VIRUS
The Samuel De Champlain Bridge will be lit up with rainbow colours from 8:30 to 9 p.m. every Sunday night in April, Infrastructure Canada announced Sunday morning.

It reminded people to respect guidelines on social distancing and not to gather in groups.

Photo and article courtesy of The M ontreal Gazette.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MY NBC 5
We applaud NBC5 for their continued work to bring needed information to our region!

Here are a few links to some of their coverage:

QUICK LINKS:




  • Now Hiring: Whether you are hiring or looking for work, we have a page dedicated to helping pair potential employees with employers.


  • Webinars: Did you miss one of our webinars, you can find them all here.

  • How to Help: If you are looking for a way to help the North Country, we have created an ever growing list of needs in our community. And if you are a non-profit, health care organization or a business helping those in need, email us with your needs, contact information and we will be happy to add you to our growing list.

  • SCORE: Visit Scores Coronavirus page for webinars and useful articles for small businesses.
The home page of the Chamber's website is now your go to resource for all things Coronavirus related. From information to help your business, health insurance, employee guidelines, restaurant offerings and CDC resources, northcountrychamber.com  will hopefully make things a bit easier for you during this challenging time.
Have Questions? We're here to help!

North Country Chamber of Commerce
518.563.1000