Masks are the order of the day during the pandemic, but a different kind of mask comes out this time of year and this is the year to celebrate both.

In the spirit of Halloween, join the Chamber for a Mask-erade After Hours complete with costumes, masks, spooky virtual backgrounds, and more! Costumed children and pets welcome!

Montgomery County is providing $5.6 million in tuition assistance for full-day, school-age child care services offered by licensed child care centers, registered family child care homes, or letter of compliance programs located in the County. Eligibility for this tuition assistance will be determined separately and differently from existing subsidy programs. The funds will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families and part of the COVID relief efforts.

To be eligible for these services, a child must:

In addition, their families must have:

See instructions for parents here. Find the application here.

Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will host an open forum at 1 p.m. this Thursday, October 15, to help small businesses prepare for outdoor retail and restaurant activities, as cooler weather will have businesses looking for new ways to serve their customers. The forum will feature a presentation on the outdoor seating guidelines, outdoor tents and electrical requirements for outdoor heating.

Register in advance for this Zoom meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Questions should be directed to Jessica Fusillo at jessica.fusillo@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Are you interested in providing an opportunity for your employees to be tested for COVID-19? Montgomery County officials hope to increase testing in the county by offering businesses the opportunity for free testing of their employees, either on site or at convenient location. If you are interested in setting up testing for your employees, contact Jane Redicker for a referral to the relevant county departments.

Montgomery County government officials are still accepting applications for the “Reopen Montgomery Small Business Grant Program.” Don't miss your opportunity for reimbursement of up to $5,000 for items needed to comply with State and local reopening requirements. Details and an application can be found at this link - www.montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/reopen/. If you have any questions, please contact jredicker@gsscc.org.

The statutory voter registration deadline for this year’s general election is tomorrow, October 13, but Maryland also has same-day voter registration during early voting and on election day (November 3) for the presidential general election. Click here to register, or confirm your registration, online. For same-day registration, you’ll need a document showing proof of residency.

* Hoover-Fisher Florist is moving January 2021! The new location will be 4100 Howard Avenue in Kensington. See the announcement here.

* Congratulations to Denizens Brewing Co. for it's inclusion in the Washington City Paper article on restaurants and bar patios perfect for fall. Read the article here.

* Member restaurants are participating in Taste the World Fenton Village - Part II from now until October 31. Restaurants include Fire Station 1 Restaurant, Kefa Café, Manny & Olga's Pizza, Negril Eatery, and The Urban Winery. Read here for more information.

* All Set Restaurant & Bar is partnering with Community Bridges to support its Girl Legacy Annual Celebration on Thursday, October 22. For every order placed, All Set will donate $1 to Community Bridges. Orders may be placed beginning Thursday, October 15, until Wednesday, October 21, at 2 p.m. For more information, read 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.

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.