12/10/2020
๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป
Felicia Hopson
Burlington County freeholder director
2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. Restaurants. Retail. Government. Schools. Nonprofits. Services. Theyโve all been impacted along with our regionโs residents and families.
Itโs no exaggeration to say many of our local small businesses have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. Some have been forced to permanently closed. Many others are just barely hanging on. Theyโve all been touched by this crisis and forced to make major changes in the way they operate or deliver goods and services.
We know the challenges theyโre up again. Itโs why our board has made assisting small businesses in our county a major part of our COVID-19 response.
Among our actions weโve made $660,000 in federal CARES Act funding secured by the Burlington County Bridge Commissionโs Economic Development Office available to small businesses as part of the new Health Emergency Loan Program, or HELP.
Under the program, businesses in the county that have been impacted by the pandemic are able to receive up to $50,000 financing to assist them with business related purchase and expenses, including payroll, personal protective equipment, or PPE, purchases or other capital needs.
The loans have a 0% interest rate, no closing costs and an up to 10-year payback period. Weโre even waiving the typical application fee. You wonโt get a much better deal than that.
Besides the HELP loans, we have also given businesses in our Small Business Loan Program and Route 130 Revolving Loan Program the option to defer their monthly payments. We did it because we know now is not the time for our county to try to collect from mom-and-pop shops and main street employers who need working capital and cash in order to make payroll and continue operations.
By giving them the option to defer, we provide some much-needed financial flexibility so they can hopefully carry on through this crisis.
Weโre proud of this small business assistance. However, we also know that community support is whatโs needed most. Itโs why weโve revived our Shop Burlington County First initiative to help promote small businesses in the county and encourage our residents to buy, shop and eat locally as much as possible.
As part of the initiative, we are asking businesses to send us basic information about their location, hours, specials and history so we can promote it on the countyโs social media pages.
We want to get the word out about all the great restaurants, stores and services in our county and try to build some buzz around supporting them this holiday season.
Weโve already had some businesses take us up on the offer. Jimโs Jarhead Jerky was spotlighted on our Shop Burlington County First page this week along with Mill Creek Apiary. Weโve also received info about a boutique in Burlington City, a cyber security firm, a Medford toy store, a brewery and a county-based yoga studio.
We plan to spread the word about those businesses and as many others as we possibly can this holiday season and beyond.
Supporting small businesses is important even during the best of times, but with the pandemicโs impacts it is more important now than ever. We want everyone to stay safe, but thereโs no reason residents canโt still patronize some of our community businesses that have gone out of their way and, in many cases, incurred substantial expenses, to allow patrons to safely shop or dine.
So before finishing your holiday gift or shopping list, please visit some of your favorite brick-and-mortar shops in the county. If shopping online, take some extra time to search for a local storeโs webpage or catalogue. Purchase gift cards from some of our countyโs outstanding local restaurants.
The money you spend in your own backyards will help your neighbors and our countyโs economy. In fact, a 2018 Small Business Economic Impact Study found that for every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., 67 cents stays in the local community.
Sixty-seven cents of every dollar. That is an extraordinary sum that helps keep both our small businesses and communities vital.
Businesses interested in submitting information for promotion by the county should email [email protected] or message our Shop Burlington County First page.
Help us get the word out about all the outstanding businesses in Burlington County that help make our communities the wonderful places they are to live, work and raise families. And letโs all work together and do whatever we can to support these businesses during this challenging time when they need our support the most.
Guest opinion: Help neighbors by shopping local this holiday season
