The Blount Partnership is committed to leading the Blount County business community through this crisis. Be sure to check out our continually updating Managing Your Business during COVID-19 webpage. If you missed a daily update, refer to our listing page .

In today's email there is information about:
  • Info for displaced hospitality employees
  • FREE webinar on working remotely
  • Food truck survey and Great American Takeout Day
  • TN Chamber's appeal to Gov. Lee to keep businesses operational
  • All April chamber events postponed
  • Join our Facebook groups for jobs and food service
  • Browse our resources for unemployment and layoffs
  • UPDATED member to member resources
WHO WANTS FOOD TRUCKS?
We are working hard to organize a variety of food trucks to come to neighborhood/apartment complexes over the next few months to help overcome the monotony and boredom life in shutdown mode. Please take a moment to help us understand your food preferences, so we can be sure to send the right trucks. TAKE THIS SHORT SURVEY .
GREAT AMERICAN TAKEOUT DAY
Order delivery or takeout today, March 24, to help save our restaurants! Check out our Blount County FB food takeout/delivery group .

Order delivery or pick-up for at least one meal on Tuesday and share your photos. Use #TheGreatAmericanTakeout #IamBlount
CHAMBER EVENTS POSTPONED
The following Blount Chamber events drawing more than 10 people are postponed until further notice in accordance with county, state, & CDC date directives. As the dates associated with these directives approach expiration, we will decide on future events by following CDC and other entities/ guidance . Stay tuned for makeup dates.
April 9 -- Maximize Your Membership
April 9 -- Afternoon Mixer
April 16 -- Presentation Skills Seminar
April 17 -- Dale Carnegie (Rescheduled for May 22)
April 23 -- Networking Training with Raeus Cannon
April 30 -- Coffee Club

  • For the time being, we are not allowing reservations of our board rooms. We are reaching out to anyone that has already reserved our board rooms to discuss the best path forward.    
WEBINAR ON WORKING REMOTELY
Is your business being tasked with the challenge of continuing to conduct business while ensuring the safety of all employees? In light of recent events, many businesses are implementing work-from-home policies to help meet both objectives.

  • Join the Tennessee Chamber Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 11:00 AM EDT for a webinar, "Sustaining Business Operations in an Age of Uncertainty," where they will discuss the options, timelines and best practices needed to safely implement a work-from-home policy. REGISTER HERE.
DISPLACED HOSPITALITY WORKERS
TAKEOUT/DELIVERY OF ALCOHOL FAQs
If you know or are a displaced hospitality worker, Hospitality TN is working to link up HR departments of companies that are hiring. Businesses may send a list of displaced employees to jkemp@tngrocer.org .

Include the following information: Name, Email, Phone, Zip Code.

Individuals can submit their information directly at http://www.tngrocer.org/jobs.html

Under Gov. Bill Lee’s Executive Order 17, Restaurants and Limited Service Restaurants (bars) may sell alcohol to go (takeout or delivery) under the following conditions. Here's the FAQ's & resources for takeout/delivery sales of alcoholic beverages: https://tinyurl.com/yxy2zfh8
TN CHAMBER ASKS GOV. LEE TO KEEP BUSINESSES OPERATIONAL
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Manufacturers Association urged guidance related to "critical infrastructure" designations. In the letter to Governor Lee, Chamber President, Bradley Jackson stressed that all manufacturing is "essential," however, deferring to recent US Department of Homeland Security guidance would be appropriate. Utilizing US Department of Homeland Security guidance as a standard will ensure clear, consistent and more uniformly aligned guidance to businesses as our nation responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
SBA LOANS FOR BIZ & NONPROFITS
Please file for an SBA loan as soon as possible.
Blount County small businesses and nonprofits are officially eligible for disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration .
 
Small businesses and nonprofit organizations that have suffered economic injury as a result of COVID-19 can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million per applicant to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have otherwise been met.
 
The Economic Injury Disaster Loans are administered and processed through the SBA. Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at  sba.gov/disaster .
 
Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email  disastercustomerservice@sba.gov  for more information on SBA disaster assistance.
 
Interest rates for the loans are 3.75% for small businesses and 2.75% for nonprofit organizations. The loans can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable or other bills that can’t be paid due to the disaster’s impact.
 
Below are helpful links regarding loan application process.
FACEBOOK GROUPS YOU NEED TO JOIN
Please do the following for both jobs and food groups:
(1) JOIN as your business page AND as an individual.
(2) SHARE with other businesses and individuals so they can join (membership is NOT required to join or post for this group!)
(3) POST your business' NEW or existing take-out/delivery services, menu specials, precautions you are taking for the safety of customers, etc.

We continue to add to the number of available jobs, so please share and post to this public Facebook group . This page was established to assist those looking to hire with an additional outlet.

If your company expects or is experiencing layoffs or work furloughs, or needs employees to fill open positions, please email Jessica Belitz at jbelitz@blountpartnership.com or call 865.273.1214.
We've also created a public Facebook group page . The goal is to offer another way for area restaurants and service providers to promote their menus, takeout & delivery specials and ANY other information they'd like to share with the public.

Help us help and support our businesses when they need us most. Click the link below to view or offer a product or service to assist the public or business community.

MEMBER TO MEMBER RESOURCES
Listed below are resources offered by our Blount Chamber members that may be beneficial during these trying times. Please review and share with another business operator if you think it may be helpful.

Send us your resources and we'll continue to communicate those out to our membership.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES?
  • Buy gift cards
  • Order carry-out OR delivery
  • Engage with them and review them positively on social media or the web
  • Order an item and ask for it to be held until you can pick it up
  • Tip generously if you can
  • Check on owners and staff; ask what you can do, if only to listen
BLOUNT COUNTY LIBRARY ONLINE RESOURCES
Blount County Library -- Click the link to the left and see that t he BCPL offers plenty of reading materials through its Tennessee READS resource which provides digital access to both audiobooks and e-books for children and adults. It also offers many online resources for businesses.

PERSONAL MEETING SPACE
Airport Hilton -- Working from home not going as planned or just need a quite space to get work done? The Hilton Knoxville Airport is offering a special Home Office Package during this time where seclusion is key. Please contact the hotel's Sales and Catering Department to inquire. 865-970-4300 option 2.

ONLINE ORDERING
Reinhart Food Service -- If your restaurant isn’t taking online orders, here’s a great resource that can answer questions and get you started on the path to offering your customers another outlet to connect with you.

Additionally, Reinhart Food Service has available disposables for To-Go / Takeout needs.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
SERVPRO -- Trained to adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitization standards set forth by the CDC. Call 865-982-2332 or email office@servproblountcounty.com

BRAND PROTECTION
SD Professionals -- Offering companies with travel-related brands a resource on addressing travel safety concerns with a comprehensive checklist .

COMMUNICATIONS
AT&T -- AT&T will waive domestic wireless plan overage charges for data, voice or text for residential or small business wireless customers incurred because of economic hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic. These fees will be retroactively waived, dating back to March 13 th . We will not terminate the service of any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer because of their inability to pay their bill due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. See expansion of our low cost home broadband service. 

Spectrum Enterprise -- Offering existing fiber clients the ability to upgrade their current bandwidth on a month to month basis, as many companies will need increased speeds to allow employees to work from home or to host video conferencing.

MARKETING & HR
Epic Nine -- Free virtual (phone or video conferencing) one hour BaseCamp consultation to help businesses identify and implement marketing strategy.

Express Strategic Services -- Information regarding online presence, website refresh, employee communication, disaster planning. Free 1 hour strategy business/marketing session (done by phone or video conferencing).

REMOTE WORKFORCE
Allevia Technology -- Produced a video highlighting .four essentials to successfully work from home

Epic Nine -- Keep Your Pants On! How to work remotely and succeed. Learn how using valuable apps can help your team remain connected and productive while working remotely .

C-Spire -- Make your business remote-work ready. Equip your team to work from home or on the go with powerful resources like Office 365 and UC-One from C Spire Business - perfect for business of all sizes.




IT SERVICES
Creekside Cyber Systems -- Offering 19% off of many services for all who need assistance with IT until April 30. Mention the promo code COVID2020 when you speak to a representative at 865.217.6073 .

SIGNAGE
FASTSIGNS -- Offering 20% off several of its signage and banner products to help you communicate whatever you need to employees or clients. Call (865) 558-0180.

DEVICE REPAIR
Cell Phone Repair (CPR) -- Offering free pick up and delivery repair service on your laptops, tablets and mobile devices. Device will be disinfected upon return.

GROCERY DELIVERY FOR IMMUNE DEFICIENT & SENIORS
SCHAS -- SCHAS has created the S.O.S Program to provide grocery delivery services to those who have compromised immune systems or are age 62 or older.

Pest-OPS Pest and Mosquito control : Let us help manage mosquitoes for $45/month. We can also take care of your spiders, carpenter bees and wasps at your home and business. Please give Jeff Haun a call at 865-567-7665.