Page 4 - HC B2B Spring 2020
P. 4

CEO MESSAGE
    CATHY BURWELL
President/CEO
The Helena
Chamber
is evolving
and meeting
the needs
of businesses.
Members:
By the time you receive this issue of the Helena Chamber’s B2B Business to Business Connection magazine, we hope you will be on the path to getting back to more of a pre- pandemic state of life and business in the Helena area and Montana.
The COVID-19 Pandemic shut down Montana the 2nd week of March and most businesses (other than the most crucial) had minimal to no business happening and many workers working remotely from home. Schools closed, daycares (for the most part) closed, and parents were home schooling their children. It is still surreal that a virus could basically shutdown our nation. Notice I did not refer
When the pandemic arrived in Helena, your Chamber immediately shifted gears into helping businesses adapt, find assistance, and survive.
• We built a COVID-19 webpage where all information, resources, and business assistance links where located and updated daily. Information on all business assistance loans, grants, and opportunities plus unemployment for their workers was paramount.
• We created a restaurant take-out list and promoted that people support all (members and non-members alike) who were open.
• We conducted a huge social media effort to keep members and citizens informed.
• We created the “Closed, but Still Awesome” signs for businesses to use (free) and the Helena Strong stickers (free).
• We conducted many town hall meetings with Governor Bullock, Congressman Gianforte, Senator Daines and gave members information on other organizations Zoom meeting opportunities.
• We also participated in the $50 by 5 program with Montana Radio Co. to encourage a boost to local businesses.
• We reached out to hundreds of members to see if they needed help or assistance.
• We worked on many issues impacting business with the elected officials, local health department, and other agencies to keep commerce moving the best it could.
The Helena Chamber is evolving and making sure we are meeting the needs of businesses impacted and recovering from the pandemic. Let us know if we can assist you! •
to businesses (nor workers) as essential or non-essential as I strongly feel they are ALL essential.
As we are moving through the reopening stages as set forth by the governor, I see people and businesses making very tough decisions. Some reopened immediately,
some are still working from home, some are partially open – it is definitely a personal choice and we need to respect their decisions and their right to do what is best for their business and their employees.
 4 Business to Business Connection | SPRING 2020









































































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