#StrongerTogether
2020 'Toys for Tots' Campaign Underway
Join the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce in providing Christmas gifts to Delaware County children in need by dropping off a new, unwrapped Christmas gift in a Toys for Tots collection box located throughout Delaware County.
 
Toys for Tots works with the U.S. Marine Corps to provide a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. The Toys for Tots program was created in 1947 and has distributed 584 million toys to date to 265 million children. 
In 2019, The Delaware County Chamber, through its member businesses, collected nearly 800 toys which were distributed to Delaware County children.
 
This year, participating members who have placed toy collection boxes in their businesses include:
 
  • Community Bank, Delhi
  • Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties, Margaretville
  • As You Wish Design & Gifts, Walton
  • Feather & Stone Restaurant, Walton
  • Ren-Rest Building Supply, Walton
  • Robinson Terrace Nursing Center, Stamford
  • NBT Bank, Grand Gorge and Hobart
  • Delhi Telephone Company, Delhi
  • Margaretville Telephone Company, Margaretville
  • Hobart Hardware, Hobart
  • Hobart Book Stores, Hobart
  • Delhi Motors, Delhi
  • The Arc of Delaware County, Hamden and Walton
  • M-ARK Project, Arkville
  • Beaver Mountain Log Homes, Deposit
  • Mirabito, Steiner Road, Sidney
  • Roxbury Town Hall, Roxbury
  • Catskills Regional Harvest, Andes
  • Catskill Seasons, Margaretville
  • Sidney Municipal Airport, Sidney
 
This year’s Delaware County campaign runs from Nov. 2 through Dec. 4. Chamber staff will pick up the toys from member businesses on Dec. 4 and deliver them to Delaware Opportunities which has partnered with the Chamber, to provide distribution of the gifts to Delaware County families.
 
To sign up a family in need of Christmas gifts contact Delaware Opportunities at 607.746.1600.
2020 "I Pledge" Campaign Launches

The Delaware County Chamber encourages people to make the pledge to spend local, shop small, eat local, enjoy local and support the small businesses that support our communities. This year's Campaign launches on November 28.

You will see these posters in businesses and other high-visibility, high-traffic locations throughout Delaware County reminding all of us to support the foundation of our local economy.

If you would like a poster for your location please stop by our office located at 5 1/2 Main Street in Delhi.

Remember, we're stronger together!
Pivoting Toward Success

The shutdown of our local economy, mandated by New York state officials to stem the spread of COVID-19, continues to present unprecedented challenges to business owners across Delaware County. The past few months have been a juggling act. From trying to access assistance loans and grants from federal and state agencies, to waiting for information about the protocols they would need to follow prior being permitted to re-open, to keeping both sales and employees healthy, the need to adapt quickly is critical. 

Creativity and persistence remain hallmarks of Delaware County business owners - even in the midst of a pandemic.

Chamber President Ray Pucci provides four ways that business owners can pivot their business model to survive and grow in this new economy, in this comprehensive column in Chamber member The Reporter.
Delaware County Tourism Nets $121 Million in 2019

Tourism-related dollars spent in Delaware County in 2019 have grown to $121 million, according to a report issued by Tourism Economics for New York State Empire State Development Division for Tourism Development; and that, according to Delaware County Chamber of Commerce President Ray Pucci, is great news for local businesses and local government. 

The annual report gives tourism promotion agencies, like the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, a snapshot of the results of our efforts and is a benchmark that the Division of Tourism uses to measure its success. A few highlights from the report reveal:
  • Traveler spending increased 2.5 percent across of all New York. The strongest growth occurred in the Catskills with an 7.3 percent increase in spending.
  • Traveler spending in Delaware County grew to $121 million in 2019.
  • Tourism accounted for over 1,145 jobs in Delaware County resulting in $41.7 million in labor income recirculating through the local economy.
  • Tourism generated more than $7.7 million in local taxes and over $6.6 million in state taxes. Were it not for tourism-generated state and local taxes, the average household in Delaware County would have to pay an additional $767 to maintain the same level of government revenue.

The bottom line is simple: our of tourism promotion program continues to work and work and your investment in tourism is paying real dividends.

For more information about the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and how it can help your business thrive visit delawarecounty.org.
Chamber Urges Lawmakers to Prevent Unemployment Insurance Premium Hikes
 
The Chamber joined nearly 30 other organizations on Nov. 16, in urging state lawmakers to take measures to avoid increases in unemployment insurance premiums that will have a negative impact on already over-burdened small businesses.
 
Under the leadership of NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses), the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce asked lawmakers to allocate any remaining federal CARES Act funding to New York’s depleted unemployment insurance trust fund and to provide future federal funding to bolster the trust balance to reduce large increases in state unemployment insurance taxes.
 
Lawmakers are also being urged to prevent unemployment insurance claims arising from COVID 19 to be included in business experience rating charges and delay any automatic unemployment insurance tax increase or stagger increases over time.

Economic recovery is a long way off with hundreds of Delaware County businesses desperately trying to survive, said Ray Pucci, president of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Unemployment insurance premium increases will further negatively impact small businesses which are the backbone of Delaware County’s local economy, Pucci said.

With a long road to recovery, New York must make every effort to limit and mitigate damaging cost increases for businesses, Pucci said. 
Delhi Housing Study Results

The results of a town-wide housing study in Delhi have been released identifying various building sites and types of lacking housing. To view the study and schematics of potential build-outs to accommodate projected growth as part of Delhi's comprehensive plan, click here.
Free Online Platform to Learn New Job Skills

A new online training platform has been launched by the Governor's office
and will enable unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers to learn new skills, earn certificates, and advance their careers at no cost. The new platform will provide access to nearly 4,000 online programs taught by leading professors and industry professionals, with a focus on high-growth and in-demand sectors like advanced manufacturing, technology, and health care, among others.  
 
Examples of the wide range of courses, programs, and professional certificates available include:
 
  • How to Manage a Remote Team 
  • Business Writing 
  • Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design and Manufacturing Machine Learning 
  • Motors and Motor Control Circuits 
  • Generative Design for Additive Manufacturing 
  • Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects 
  • Marketing in a Digital World 
  • Supply Chain Operations 
  • Data Science Specialization 
  • Project Management 
  • Cybersecurity 
  • Google IT Support Professional Certificate 
  • The Business of Health Care Specialization 
  • Medical Neuroscience 
  • Financial Markets 
  • Facebook Social Media Marketing 
  • Entrepreneurship 
  • Introduction to Game Development 
  • The Art of Negotiation, and more!

To sign up for a free account and begin skill-building click here.
Chamber Check - In

Chamber staff have been busy this week working for members! Click the video to see what we've been up to and what we have planned!
Chamber Online Learning Center
As part of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce ongoing initiative to respond to member needs, an online learning center has been opened to help businesses meet their training needs in three key areas:

  • Leadership, Management, and Supervisory Skills
  • Sales and Customer Service Skills
  • Human Resource Compliance Skills

In a self-paced, online learning environment, your staff can learn and enhance various skills including how to create a productive working environment, effective delegation, conflict management, working in a remote environment, working post-COVID and much more.

Sales and customer service modules focus on handling client or customer attitudes and objections, negotiating styles and effective sales negotiation and the dos and don'ts of effective customer services.

Human resources modules include diversity and inclusion training, micro-inequities, process of stereotyping and methods of exclusion, among other topics.

Each module is priced at a reduced rate of $45 per person.

Annual Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
The Chamber has partnered with New Haven Consulting Group, Inc. to provide our members with an online “Preventing Sexual Harassment" workshop that meets the requirements of the new law.

This program is available at a Chamber-member reduced price of $20 per participant.

FREE (Virtual) One-on-One Business Counseling Sessions
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering FREE comprehensive programming to provide management and technical assistance to small businesses in Delaware County!

Specializing in direct one-to-one counseling, the SBDC offers assistance in the following business areas:

  • Start-up assistance
  • Business Plan Development
  • Accounting and Financial Projections
  • Sources of Financing
  • Marketing
  • Business Expansion
  • Relocation and Agribusiness

There is no cost for the counseling services of the SBDC.

Reservations are required for the one hour appointments. Schedule your appointment at https://michelle-catan.appointlet.com
The Delaware County Chamber is a private, non-governmental, not-for-profit membership organization. We believe that healthy communities begin with healthy businesses. By focusing on key areas–community and economic development, advocacy, tourism promotion, and business engagement–we partner with municipal leaders, community organizations, and local companies to present a unified voice of business for the improvement of our communities.
5 1/2 Main Street
Delhi, New York 13753

Give Us A Call: 607.746.2281

DelawareCounty.org
GreatWesternCatskills.com