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COVID-19

Chambers of commerce, business organizations launch initiative to help locally owned businesses

 (Libby Kamrowski / The Spokesman-Review)

Local chambers of commerce and business organizations recently launched an initiative to support small, locally owned businesses that are closed because of COVID-19.

Through the “Support Our Small Businesses” initiative, area chambers and organizations will buy two $50 gift cards from businesses nominated by the community. The businesses are then advertised on Inland Northwest Business Alliance’s website with information on how to buy products from them.

The initiative gives the community an opportunity to help the chambers of commerce and organizations connect with businesses and advocate for their short-term financial needs during the coronavirus pandemic. It also allows chambers and organizations to provide resources to businesses, said Janice Miller Krummel, executive director for the INBA.

“It gives us an opportunity to learn how they are able to take funds right now and what the community can do to support them while they are closed,” Miller Krummel said.

The idea for the initiative was sparked by individual projects of separate chambers of commerce and business groups to help their members as retailers and restaurants were forced to temporarily close or restrict services because of the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued by Gov. Jay Inslee, Miller Krummel said.

“I had people coming to me saying, ‘I can’t do anything right now.’ They were shutting their doors and walking away,” Miller Krummel said, adding there was a big communitywide push for people to buy gift cards for businesses – such as restaurants – which were still open for takeout orders. “But, with most people promoting businesses still open, people don’t know who is not open that they can support.”

FatGirl Yoga, NW Crafted, Lions Lair and Firedove are the first group of participating businesses in the initiative.

Chambers of commerce and business organizations can financially support gift card purchases for 21 local businesses. They are accepting donations from the community to reach more businesses, Miller Krummel said.

The gift cards will be distributed to nonprofit organizations, which, in turn, will provide them to those in need.

The initiative was spearheaded by the Inland Northwest Business Alliance, Greater Spokane Incorporated, Downtown Spokane Partnership, Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, the West Plains Chamber of Commerce and Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance.