Call to Action: Week of March 23, 2020
I hope this finds all of you healthy. Keep up the social distancing and stay home if you are able. We need to flatten the curve.
We are facing a global crisis and a federal emergency that calls for strong, clear, unified action. Without immediate steps to mitigate and suppress the spread of COVID-19 our health care system will collapse. Millions will die, not just from COVID-19, but from cancer, strokes, heart attacks, and other illnesses. Traumas won’t get the treatment they need because beds and space will be unavailable, medical equipment will be unavailable. Medical staff will be unavailable or overwhelmed and under-protected and could become sick themselves. It’s not COVID-19 that is going to collapse our economy and our healthcare, but the inaction from our federal government. If citizens are doing their part by social distancing, then Congress needs to protect our nation by providing for and protecting healthcare workers, freezing costs for essential foods and services and medical supplies, putting a moratorium on mortgage and rent payments, providing free mass testing and healthcare, providing expanded unemployment benefits, housing, food stamps, and mental health resources. Asylum seekers need to be released from detention centers, along with non-violent inmates from incarceration. Small businesses need support. Essential workers such as grocery store employees, truck drivers, caregivers, janitors, garbage collectors need hazard pay, sick leave, healthcare, masks and gloves. We need The Defense Production Act, which was designed for exactly what we are living through now. It gives the federal government the power to compel plants and factories to switch to producing critical supplies, set the pricing, and distribute where needed. It’s designed to prevent profiteering, to keep states from having to compete for life-saving supplies, to make sure there are no shortfalls, and to use federal taxpayer money instead of bankrupting hardest hit states.
“Hospitals say that they need Trump to invoke the law to ramp up production of protective gear for health workers that is running dangerously low. They say the normal channels on the private market are sold out.”
Do you sew? Our healthcare workers need you to sew masks.If you agree to make 100 masks, Providence St. Joseph Health will supply materials and directions on how to make them. These masks will not be resold for profit but will be given directly to healthcare staff to use.
Coronavirus is hitting restaurants hard. 7 million people have already been laid off and millions more will be affected. We need Congress to help restaurants before it’s too late.
My Representative put all this information together for Businesses:
𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀
𝗨.𝗦. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗦𝗕𝗔) 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲!!
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in our economy, but we know small businesses have been particularly hard hit.
That’s why Governor Walz requested an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration from the SBA earlier this week.
𝗡𝗼𝘄, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘁𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁:
A few more details:
This program can provide low-interest loans of up to $2 million to small businesses and private non-profits.
These loans can go toward working capital to meet needs including payroll, accounts payable, and fixed debt payments that can’t be paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The non-profit rate is 2.75%.
These loans have long-term repayment options, up to a maximum of 30 years.
For more information visit the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan web page:
Need help?
Download the three step process for disaster loans information sheet:
The SBA is doing webinars THIS WEEKEND to explain the program in more detail, which you can sign up for here:
Sunday, March 22, 11 a.m.
Register:
Additional Resources:
SBA disaster loan information:
Information for small businesses affected by coronavirus:
All coronavirus-related federal government resources:
DEED’S COVID-19 information and resources for businesses COVID-19 update page:
Questions? Contact:
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development · 332 Minnesota Street Suite E-200 · Saint Paul, MN 55101 · (800) 657-3858
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