The GSSCC cordially invites Chamber members to join us for GSSCC 101: Virtual Member Orientation. This virtual event is for new members or new representatives of member companies with a maximum of two per business.

This is the perfect event to learn how to make the most of your membership investment, connect with your fellow Chamber members, and meet the GSSCC staff, board members, and ambassadors.

ReOpen Montgomery Grant - Provides grants of up to $5,000 to reimburse businesses for items purchased to comply with State and County reopening requirements to protect public health. A business does not have to have been closed to be eligible for a grant. Find details and the application here.

State Layoff Aversion Fund - provides up to $50,000 for eligible small businesses undergoing economic stresses due to the pandemic by preventing or minimizing the duration of unemployment resulting from layoffs. The program will remain open through 30 days after the State of Emergency ends or until funding has been fully exhausted. Learn more here.

Tourism Anchor Institution Grant Program - provides financial assistance to non-profit entities in Montgomery County that are tourist-oriented and have a mission that focuses on arts, culture, agriculture and/or recreation. Applications accepted until 5 p.m. today, Monday, November 30. Apply here.

Restaurant Relief Grant - provides grants of up to $10,000 to eligible County restaurants and other food-service businesses. Applications accepted through this Friday, December 4. Click here for more information and to apply.

Early Care and Education School Age Child Care Grant - Supports school age child care providers operating licensed child care programs in public school buildings and working parents. Find details here.

While the Oxford English Dictionary couldn’t choose just one word to describe 2020, the Chamber and business communities can probably agree on an important one: pivot. Business owners are no strangers to the unpredictable – economic downturns, aging workforces, changing policies, you name it – but 2020 took unpredictable and ratcheted it up to unprecedented. To stay afloat, many businesses have tapped into the spirit of innovation and ingenuity and pivoted. The Chamber would like to celebrate any member business that successfully pivoted during the pandemic, be it with a new product, new business model, or the like, we want to know. Share your successful business pivot stories with the Chamber by emailing Jane here.

Celebrating the holidays may look different this year but the cheer and merriment remains the same. Many of our members have exciting holiday promotions and the Chamber would like to share them! If your company or business is providing holiday promotions, deals, products, or packages, please contact Julie Pawlikowski. Provide a short write up of the promotion and include either a flyer or webpage link by end of business Thursday, December 3. All promotions will be shared in the newsletter.

* Adventist HealthCare’s new White Oak Cancer Center, slated to open fully in January 2021, has entered a joint venture with Maryland Oncology Hematology (MOH) and national research and treatment organization US Oncology Network. The collaboration brings the MOH’s radiation services to Adventist’s White Oak Medical Center campus at 11886 Healing Way, which will create a “one-stop shop” so cancer patients don’t have to wait weeks and visit multiple sites from detection to treatment to recovery. Read more here.

* The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center has announced the complete slate of films presented online for the 2020 AFI European Union Film Showcase, which will take place from Wednesday, December 2 to Sunday, December 20. Read the Source of the Spring article for more information here.

See your company's news here! Send us your news releases and news items by noon on Friday for publication in the following Monday's edition. Click here for guidelines on submitting Member News.

As businesses re-open and employers are tasked with providing PPE for their returning employees, GSSCC launched a “Back to Business Products” page on our website for members looking to purchase PPE products, signage, and more. If your business is selling PPEs and you would like to be on this page, please complete this form and send it to Julie at jpawlikowski@gsscc.org.

* Small Business Owners Network Virtual Meeting - 12 noon on Thursday, December 3. Focus will be on planning discussion topics for 2021. Group members are encouraged to bring their ideas.

* Non-Profit Team Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Tuesday, December 8.

* Economic Development Committee -Take 1 - 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 10. Planning Board staff to review progress and hear input on the new Silver Spring Plan. Committee members will receive a calendar invitation. Others interested in participating should email Jane Redicker.

* Economic Development Committee -Take 2 - 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16. Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson will provide an overview and answer questions about the new Subdivision Staging Policy. Committee members will receive a calendar invitation. Others interested in participating should email Jane Redicker.

Corporate Partners - Downtown Silver Spring; Lee Development Group; Montgomery College; Joseph W. McCartin Insurance;

 Business Partners - Andalman & Flynn, AFI Silver Theatre; Apex Home 

 Partners - Adam Lowe Creative; Bell Flowers; EBA Ernest Bland Associates; Image360.