RICHMOND, Va. -- Over the past month, Chamber RVA has been working with community partners and groups to find ways of helping our small businesses reopen.
"We decided over a few days we needed two components. A digital tool kit, a place where businesses could go to get information that was both concise, constant but also one central place they could all go to. And then secondly, how can we give them a physical tool kit that would help them reopen?" said Brian Anderson, President and CEO of Chamber RVA
Anderson tells CBS 6 Chamber RVA helps small businesses in all nine jurisdictions within the Richmond region.
With their new initiative ForwardRVA, they hope to continue in doing so.
"If you choose to open today or in three weeks. We want to give you the tools to make sure that you can do so safely, responsibly and confidently."
On Thursday, ForwardRVA will provide physical tool kits for free.
"Some basic masks, some sanitation material and some gloves," said Anderson. "But also some marketing material. A couple of posters in front of their store or restaurant that would cling on the window. And even a yard sign if you wanted. "
Over 1300 businesses have registered to get their kits. But organizers say they are prepared to help even more so that business can build confidence in the right way. So that they can safely reopen while thinking about the safety of their employees and customers.
"I'm proud of this initiative because it wasn't just Chamber RVA or just another entity. 40 plus organizations came together over the last month to make today, tomorrow and Thursday happen. And we're going to continue to come together."
"We don't want to go back just to where we were. We want to go to a place that inspirational. We want to re-imagine our region, that every person living here has the opportunity to move up the economic prosperity index."
Kit pick up locations ( 8:00 am -1:30 pm)
• Deep Run High School, 4801 Twin Hickory Road, Glen Allen
• Virginia Center Commons (Food Court), 10101 Brook Road, Glen Allen
• Richmond Raceway, 600 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond
• Arthur Ashe Center, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond
• Southside Community Center, 6255 Old Warwick Road, Richmond
• John Tyler Community College – Midlothian (Administration Building), 800 Charter Colony Parkway, Midlothian
• John Tyler Community College – Chester, 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, Chester
• Southpark Mall (former Sears), 230 Southpark Circle, Colonial Heights
For more information or to register, click here.
Virginia Together: The Rebound Richmond campaign is here to help. Find information on who is hiring, investigations into unemployment payment issues, financial advice on making ends meet, and mental health advice on managing the pressures. These stories will be featured often on CBS 6 News and can be found by clicking this link.
