Antrim County is taking steps to help out its residents and local businesses during the coronavirus crisis.
With constant changes happening, finding the right information can be tough. The Emergency Operation Center wanted to put something in place to be a resource for the community.
In partnership with the Antrim County Economic Development Corporation, local Downtown Development Authorities, and Chambers of Commerce from Elk Rapids, Bellaire, Mancelona, Central Lake, and Ellsworth/East Jordan, they came up with the Antrim Promise.
“We’ll do whatever we can to get people taken care of,” said Jeremy Scott, Antrim County Public Information Officer. “Everything’s changing so constantly, that we really wanted to be a resource for people from the top down that way there’s one central location that the county can look to find answers they need and the help that they need.”
Like many other places across the state, Antrim County businesses are struggling. Area Chambers of Commerce are reporting up to 71% of their members have shut down during this time. The Antrim Promise looks to help that.
“Financially there are a lot of grants out there is what it comes down to and they need guidance, a lot of these businesses have never even thought about filling out a grant,” said Scott.
Safety also is a factor with the businesses that are open and for the ones that look to reopen. The first step in the Antrim Promise is PPE Readiness Packs.
“The starter pack is just going to be some basic cloth masks, we want to do at least two per employee, hand sanitizer, gloves, and then it becomes more customized if you will, for individual businesses because ever business is going to look different,” Scott added.
They hope to finalize the plan and roll it out by the end of the week, but still keep it fluid with the ever-changing situation at hand.
“We are constantly adapting to whatever new order or plan or knowledge that we learn and we’re one place where people can go, a one-stop-shop where if we don’t have the answer we’re going to find it out for you,” Scott said.
The Antrim Promise supply request form can be found .
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