Issue 4 | March 18, 2020
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Greetings, everyone. We are all experiencing a very challenging time in our lives as we navigate the coronavirus, also known as COVID 19. The uncertainty and stress that a crisis such as this creates is very difficult; however, it is not insurmountable.

We are all having to make difficult decisions about our businesses, especially those that regularly depend on large numbers of people gathering or shopping at their establishments. The Chamber is ready and willing to help businesses in any way that we can. In fact, your responses to the  Business Impact Survey  will help guide our efforts.

The Chamber continues to closely monitor and comply with the guidance provided by government agencies at the local, state and federal levels, and make ongoing decisions about our business. As a result, we have recently made operational changes effective through April 3.

Do you know the best steps your small business can take now that COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is in Michigan? The Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has compiled a resource guide to help you plan to keep your team and your business safe.

Included are links to upcoming webinars and how to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Relief Loan (EIDL) from the SBA.


In addition, the state of Michigan’s small business entrepreneurial support organizations have joined forces with the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to ensure economic support is available to Michigan businesses to overcome anticipated loss of revenue as a result of the COVID-19 virus, the organizations announced on March 17. CLICK HERE for the full news release .
The U.S. Census Bureau continues to carefully monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and follow the guidance of federal, state and local health authorities. We are adjusting some operations as outlined below with two key principles in mind: protecting the health and safety of our staff and the public and fulfilling our statutory requirement to deliver the 2020 Census counts to the President on schedule. 

As of March 15, over 5 million have responded online to the 2020 Census. Currently, the planned completion date for data collection   for the 2020 Census is July 31, 2020, however, that date can and will be adjusted if necessary as the situation evolves in order to achieve a complete and accurate count.

Since the 1980s,* Women’s History Month has provided the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields—including business.

Flint & Genesee is home to many women-owned businesses, many of which have been featured in the Chamber’s FACES of Flint & Genesee Business Q&A series as well as AND magazine. These interviews and profiles, which aim to put faces to the names of some of our different Chamber members, often ask the interviewee to share their advice for other business owners or future entrepreneurs.

McLaren Health Care on March 12 unveiled the McLaren Fenton Emergency Center, 2420 Owen Rd, in Fenton. The McLaren Fenton Emergency Center features:

  • 22 private rooms, including three resuscitation rooms
  • An isolation room
  • A special room for patients experiencing a mental health emergency
  • Telestroke technology
  • CT scanner , X-ray and Ultrasound
  • Laboratory services
  • Online check-in scheduling system for patients with non-life-threatening conditions to select an arrival time and stay at home until their treatment time arrives
  • Staffed 24/7 by board-certified emergency physicians along with emergency room nurses and support personnel

The emergency center, which opened for patients on March 16, is part of a more than $12 million investment that will benefit the residents of southern Genesee and northern Livingston counties, the company states. The project included renovation of the entire building also houses family medicine, internal medicine and OB/GYN offices, an outpatient lab draw station, and imaging services including 3-D mammography and bone density.

With help from the General Motors-funded Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program, Beck’s Barber & Beauty is expanding its business into building space that previously had gone unused for more than 10 years.
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The program is a collaborative effort between GM and Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce to provide grants to Flint neighborhood small businesses. It seeks to expand revitalization efforts across the city’s neighborhoods by supporting local businesses and boosting the power of nonprofits doing vital work there to support Flint residents.
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