Join the Chamber and expertise from Holy Cross Hospital, White Oak Medical Center, and CCI Health & Wellness Services for a webinar on the Covid-19 vaccine. Learn more about what vaccines are and how they work plus participate in a Q&A session to get your questions answered.

Join us and fellow area Chambers as Marc Engel and Michael Neary from Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. discuss COVID-19 related HR issues that could arise for employers.

Join us for your second (or third!) cup of coffee at the Morning Coffee Break with the Chamber. Get a mid-morning boost of energy by networking with your chamber peers. Catch up over coffee, share what your business is up to, and make new connections.  

Did you see the feature on Signarama Silver Spring's successful business pivot in last week's newsletter? Signarama elevated its game to provide commercial/industrial grade options with professional installation and expanded its business into nearby counties.

Want to highlight how your business successfully pivoted? Share your story with the Chamber by emailing Jane Redicker here.

GSSCC welcomes these organizations that became Chamber members during January. Check out the services they offer.

Thanks to these organizations for continuing to support the Chamber by renewing their membership during the past month. We're pleased to link readers to these businesses and the products and services they provide.

Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s Young Professionals Network Beach Party After Hours! Attendees learned how to make a Hurricane Marilyn cocktail from All Set Restaurant & Bar, networked in breakout rooms, learned all about poke from Corcoran Caterers, and tested their knowledge at beach-themed trivia. Congratulations to Cynthia Rosselle, One Ocean Scuba, on nailing the tie-breaker question to win first place. Special thanks to event sponsor CCI Health & Wellness Services.

The Chamber was joined last week by David Hincapie, Economic Development Specialist for the Washington Metropolitan Area District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, who provided the latest details on the Federal COVID-19 relief monies and answered questions on how businesses can access the programs. Watch the webinar recording on the Chamber's YouTube page here.

With elections over, COVID-19 vaccines being distributed, weather forecasts holding true and an encouraging economic outlook, favorable third-party energy rates are just around the corner. There’s no better time to consider enrolling in GSSCC’s Energy Purchasing Cooperative.

The strategic partnership between GSSCC and CQI Associates means lower energy costs and long-term budget stability. How? By leveraging the aggregated energy usage of members of 23 chambers of commerce, CQI has the purchasing power to negotiate rates much lower than an individual company could attain on its own. Participants who signed onto the co-op realized a combined annual savings of $889,600, which equates to an average of $4,000 per company annually.

Applications will be accepted between February 1 and February 26. Here’s a link to the application. Want to learn more?

CQI Associates will host informational Zoom webinars on the following dates:

* The Montgomery College - Takoma Park/Silver Spring Youth Summer Camps 2021 schedule is now available for view and registration will open mid-February. Learn more about the program here.

* Congratulations to Bethesda Cares for successfully referring a record number of people from the streets into permanent housing last year. In 2020, the organization successfully places 37 individuals experiences chronic homelessness into permanent supportive housing. Learn more about the work Bethesda Cares does here.

* Downtown Silver Spring’s Spend Local Giveaway is with Silver Spring Ace Hardware. From Friday, January 29, to Thursday, February 4, customers can receive $10 off a purchase of $10 or more at Ace Hardware. Read here for more information.

* Join CohnReznick on Tuesday, February 8, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for virtual event “To Forgive or Not Forgive: PPP Loans and How they Affect Federal Awards.” The panel will break down the Defense Contract Audit Agency’s December 2020 memorandum, the CARES Act PPP provisions, key dates and more. Read here for more information.

* Join SEEC for Virtual Wine Tasting on Friday, February 19, at 5 p.m. Admission is $150 and includes 3 bottles of wine and an expert taste will lead the event via Zoom. For more information and to register, 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.

* Small Business Owners Virtual Meeting - 12 noon on Thursday, February 4. Topic: How to measure your business’s marketing ROI. (Advanced registration required here).

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

* Membership Development Committee Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23.

* Economic Development Committee Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 24.

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

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

 Partners - Peak Performance Digital; Bell Flowers; EBA Ernest Bland Associates; Image360.