Stronger Together
By: President & CEO of the Atascadero Chamber, Emily Reneau
We are all in this together, and during this challenging time, I love seeing OUR business community support each other and the community. We have businesses like Bloom N Grow sending gifts of flowers out to encourage business owners in OUR community. Then we also have places like Wild Fields Brewhouse, which changed gears to offer commissary items that were often sold out or hard to find in grocery stores for residents and Central Coast Distillery, that jumped into making needed hand sanitizer. These are just a handful of the incredible examples of OUR community supporting each other.
The creativity of OUR business community also lifts my spirits during this challenging time, and I hope it helps you too. Businesses like Anna & Mom and Mudflat Mercantile are using Facebook Lives and videos to sell their products regularly on social media. Bristols Cider House has partnered with Lone Madrone to sell delicious meals. Like the businesses I mentioned above that are supporting each other and the community, this is just the tip of the iceberg for the creativity demonstrated by OUR business community. That’s why I want to encourage you, if you have a story of support or creativity to share, please email me at Emily@AtascaderoChamber.org, and you might see it on our social media!
Switching gears, I have an update regarding the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The applications for both are paused as of 10AM on April 16th. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will not accept applications anymore until the Treasury appropriates more funding.
If you’ve already submitted a loan for the EIDL or PPP, your application will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note that you will not have to re-apply if you’ve already submitted your application. For more information about the SBA and loans, please visit this link here.
Due to this update, Governor Newsom recently announced that Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). This assistance is for business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, and others not usually eligible for regular state UI benefits who are out of business or services that have been significantly reduced as a direct result of the pandemic. For additional information about the SBA and loans, please visit this link here.
For additional resources, please refer to the following:
- Stimulus payments available for eligible healthcare providers.
- Harvard business students are here to help.
- COVID-19 resources from the Chamber, City and County here.
Let’s continue to support each other during this time; after all, OUR community is stronger together.
President & CEO of the Atascadero Chamber | Emily Reneau
Emily Reneau is a longtime Central California local, having lived in the area for twenty-three years. She worked previously with HM Holloway and opened their Paso Robles office and coordinated outreach and marketing efforts for the organization’s three regional offices. She also worked as the Business Development Director for the American Heart Association and raised over $150,000 annually for the organization. She discovered her passion for working alongside the community when she worked in Southern California with the Walt Disney Company in Community Relations. Emily Reneau stepped in as acting CEO & President for the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce on April 23, 2020.
