Chamber, city assist East Providence businesses, employees during crisis

EAST PROVIDENCE — “Crazy.” “Insane.” Employees at local grocery stores used a variety of terms to describe the crush of customers overwhelming their locations over the last week-plus as the realities and fears surrounding the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak reached levels never before seen under any public health and safety situation.

It’s likely no natural disaster in the city, state, region or nation has ever caused the kind of reaction exhibited by consumers since the crisis took hold some two weeks ago. Governor Gina Raimondo and Mayor Bob DaSilva each initiated a state of emergency for theor jurisdictions.

Restaurants and bars were required to discontinue in-building service. Non-essential employees at other businesses were asked to remain home or stagger shifts in attempts to quell communal spread of the virus.

Small business owners, which make up a preponderance of proprietors in the city, felt the brunt of the changes initiated by elected officials, leaving them worried about their operations and those in their employ.

“At this time, the business people I've spoken to are concerned for their employees and businesses,” said Laura McNamara, Executive Director at East Providence Area Chamber of Commerce. “Based on the information being released at the local, state and national level, they are able to make decisions for the moment. However, daily updates and changing directives bring an additional level of stress to these decision-makers.

“One of the hardest hit industries is restaurants/food service. The East Providence Area Chamber created a Facebook page for them to post their information and to let people know they are open for take-out or delivery service.”

The site is Facebook.com/Take-out Food Options in East Providence/Seekonk Area.

Late last week, Mayor DaSilva, city officials and local organizations announced they are working in conjunction on a number of plans to assist East Providence businesses.

One such measure is implementing an emergency loan fund that would benefit local businesses that may be facing cash flow issues. Loans would be funded through the existing city-administered federal Urban Development Action Grants program. In addition, the mayor said the city will coordinate with the Rhode Island Small Business Administration and area banks to maximize benefits to local businesses. Specifics of this loan program were slated to be announced sometime this week.

The city and the chamber also announced they’re developing a survey to solicit feedback from the local businesses on what assistance is needed during the crisis.

“Our city is committed now more than ever to offer resources and support to our small and local businesses to help them succeed during this time of uncertainty,” Mayor DaSilva said.

Both the mayor and the director noted there are numerous resources available online for businesses to get information on financial assistance, unemployment benefits, health-related questions and answers, etc.

The chamber has a COVID-19 dedicated page on its website, eastprovidenceareachamber.com.

“We are encouraging people to pick a few reliable sites or social media that provide current information and updates,” said Ms. McNamara. “Check them regularly. Try not to become overwhelmed with too much information and take a break occasionally from the 24/7 news sources.”

The city compiled a list of resources available to businesses to help businesses address the economic impact stemming from the community spread of Coronavirus: Guidance for Employers from CDC, cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html; Disaster Preparedness Checklists, uschamber.com/coronavirus, riscpa.org/news-and-events/165/covid-19-business-planning-checklist/view-news; SBA Disaster Loan Fund, disasterloan.sba.gov; Emergency Unemployment Assistance, oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp, dlt.ri.gov/ui/fileclaim2.htm; Technology Assistance for RI Businesses –Free MS Office 365, doit.ri.gov/covid-19; and Treasury’Internal Revenue Service, irs.gov/coronavirus.
The chamber can also be reached by phone at 401-438-1212 or by emailing lauramcnamara@eastprovchamber.com or eastprovchamber@aol.com.

While this kind of information may ease the minds of some, many others seemingly aren’t so reassured, which is likely why the run at supermarkets continues.

Inside, most when shopping are practicing proper “social distancing” measures, the request by healthcare professionals to remain six feet apart from each other so as lessen the passing of the virus. Outside, lines of customers attempting to get into the larger stores, such as Stop & Shop and Shaw’s, have stretched dozens deep at times while inside check-out lines snaked their way down and around aisles.

An anecdote from one Shaw’s employee, who works in the meat department, displayed the desperation of many shoppers. He told of attempting to restock an empty beef case, but could hardly do so as customers literary took whatever they could out of his hands with no regard for price or size.

To combat hoarding,  the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association earlier this week initiated  limits on the amount of certain products customers can purchase based on size of the package and quantity of its content at the behest of municipal leaders, including Mayor DaSilva.

As a cashier at the Save-a-Lot location on Pawtucket Avenue recalled saying to shoppers in recent days, “Relax, we’re not going anywhere. We’re still going to be open for as long as we possibly can.”