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How the Chamber supported businesses during the pandemic
What does the Chamber do?
Since 1922, the Milford Area Chamber has been the voice for business in a ten-town area spanning Bellingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, and Upton. Representing hundreds of businesses of all sizes and all industries, the MACC, in a nutshell, supports local businesses by providing resources to its members.
These resources include providing individual counseling for start-ups, helping businesses connect and network, promoting and sponsorship opportunities, providing educational workshops, and much more! Local business owners can sign up for membership and then access all of these resources as well as invitations to events and networking opportunities, and member-to-member discounts on goods and services. As a local business owner, networking and word-of-mouth is key to growing your business. The MACC helps facilitate that growth and connects local business people in order to build a network of mutual benefit.
How do we help our members during the pandemic?
The pandemic made our job as a not-for-profit extra difficult, particularly as we were unable to hold our in-person events that are so critical to what we do. Our members also suffered, and some were unable to maintain their memberships due to economic strain and hardship. Indeed, the pandemic caused us to work twice as hard to provide the needed support for our local businesses.
To assist during these difficult and unusual times, the MACC has created a page where our members and community can find ample resources to handle the crisis. With the generous volunteering of Local Business First, we created a resource center on our website which includes a Back- to-Business resource page, a SBA Grants and Loans resources page, a listing containing all the local businesses that offered post pandemic/shut-down Gift Cards, many webinar educational series, a page where those laid-off and job-hunting can upload their resumes, a school update page, and a member discount page. In addition, we were able to hold one of our most important events - the Honors Scholars Night – online!
COVID-19 Resources
The following are some of the resources that the MACC offers to local businesses that have been affected by COVID-19:
Our Back to Business resources contain an abundance of helpful information regarding the pandemic, from local government updates, to reopening plans, to safety standards for workplaces. We have taken all of this information and gathered it into one place to help business owners find the ever-changing information they need quickly and easily. In addition to these, this page also contains informational posters, guides for employers, sector-specific protocols and best practices (for example hair salons & barber shops, car washes, pet grooming, etc.), even CDC guidelines for reopening businesses and reducing the spread in workplaces. These resources contain useful information for restaurants, retailers, home service providers, construction companies, gyms, office-based businesses, hair and nail salons, airlines, childcare, camps and youth programs, schools, and more.
The Grants & Loans page provides information from the Small Business Administration (SBA) on any financial assistance available to small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19. There is helpful information about the Paycheck Protection Program, EIDL Loan Advance, Express Bridge Loans, and SBA Debt Relief. In addition to this, there is also material on PPP Loan forgiveness, and information on local banks and credit unions that may be able to financially assist small businesses.
The Support Local page provides a way for you to help out local businesses, even if they’re not physically able to be open yet. On this page, there are links to purchase gift cards for a variety of different businesses, from painting and fitness classes, to beauty & spa services. Purchasing gift cards is a great way to support these businesses during this challenging time and could be the difference that allows some of them to stay in business. And when the pandemic is over or we move to the next phase in reopening, you will be able to redeem your gift card, which gives you something to look forward to!
The MACC has organized and sponsored many webinars in order to help members navigate the troubling waters of the pandemic. These include sharing important information on the legal and financial impact for businesses, staying motivated and easing the isolation that so many are feeling, and learning to do business online. The chamber offered free access to marketing tools including free website building and updates to existing websites.
Looking for a Job / Uploading Resumes
If you’ve been displaced due to COVID and are unable to find work, the MACC might be able to help you in your job search. This page provides a space to submit your resume, and it can be viewed by employers on a password-protected webpage. Businesses across 10 towns will have access to resumes and will reach out if they’re interested or have open positions. All that’s needed is to fill out a short form and upload your resume. The chamber also maintains a job board that lists open positions that have been posted in the area.
Many of us, even small businesses, have transitioned to working remotely in recent months. The transition has been easier for some than others! This page provides resources for those stuck at home to remain productive and stay sane - tons of tips and tricks to assist you during this challenging time.
The MACC understands that information about schools is constantly changing, so they’ve put together a page that contains helpful links to stay on top of this elusive data. The page includes links to resources for parents with kids in school in any of the 10 towns, including their reopening plans, COVID protocols, remote learning information, technology support requests, social distancing resources, FAQs, and much more.
And finally, the MACC is also offering immediate savings and discounts from local businesses. Typically, the MACC only offers member-to-member discounts on goods and services, but due to the pandemic, we’re opening this up to everyone - not just members! These savings could include discounts on photography services, web design, energy services, hotels, limo services, and more. Take advantage of these savings while you can, as they’ll soon be available to members only!
Virtual Events
Like everyone, the MACC has had to adapt to new guidelines and rules for social events. The MACC relies heavily on our annual events and membership dues to remain open, and this year is no exception. While we’ve been unable to host any of our usual events in person, so far in 2020 we’ve been able to successfully execute several virtual events, and have plans for many more! This success is all thanks to the participation and engagement of those who continuously show support for local small businesses.
For the past 31 years, the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce and businesses across our community have honored the academic success of the top 10% high school seniors from the 10 towns that we support - Bellingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, and Upton.
This event was 100% virtual in 2020, but still a great success! The graduating class of 2020 was robbed of many of their beloved senior events, but we were able to honor them, even if it was virtually. This year Senator Ryan Fattman and Representative Jeffrey Roy personally showed their support for our honor students with personalized videos and encouragements. Citations from each student’s State Representative and State Senators, along with a booklet and special gifts from the Chamber, were hand-delivered personally to all 260 students.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt Community Event
The beloved tradition of trick-or-treating also looks very different in 2020. The MACC wanted to give families an opportunity to have some Halloween fun in a safe, socially-distant way. We’ve done this by hosting a Halloween Scavenger Hunt that takes place from the safety of your own car! Teams can gather points by finding items all over the 10 towns, and stopping by local businesses that are sponsoring the event. This event is fun for the family but also helps give exposure to participating businesses.
Restaurant Week Community Event
Is there a local restaurant you've always wanted to try but never gotten around to? Restaurant week is the perfect time to make your wish a reality! This year, restaurant week is even more important as restaurants have lost a lot of business due to the pandemic. Restaurants in our community are offering discounted menu items to customers. Each time you visit a restaurant, you will receive a raffle entry to win gift certificates to all participating restaurants.
The auction is one of the MACC’s most important fundraising events, and this year we are going completely online! With over a hundred plus donations from local businesses, this auction will enable the MACC to continue to provide these valuable resources to local businesses.
What our members say:
" The Chamber helped me with so many things! They introduced me and my business to the community; they helped me establish relationships with community leaders and held numerous events at the studio to expose Canvas n Cup to other business owners. The chamber also went to the trouble of making a video of Canvas n Cup, featuring me as the business owner, all the while advertising my events and fundraisers on their social media pages. Lastly, and well worth mentioning, the chamber introduced me excellent digital marketing resources, which help me compete at a national level." Mahsa Ghavamian, Canvas n Cup
" Laura O’Callaghan from the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce has been an amazing person to work with. Since I joined the Chamber, Laura has gone above and beyond to connect me with other members and even past members who she believed would be a good fit for my business. She is smart, resourceful, and always thinking of ways to help her members promote and grow their businesses. Learning about her and becoming a member of the Chamber have been two of the best things to happen to my business in a long time." Laura Mc Callion, Four Footed Family.
" I could not have opened my business during the pandemic if it wasn’t for Laura and the Chamber team. From advising to helping create a plan and all the paper work from the state, to connecting me with other chamber members, she has offered everything I needed to start the Soft Hand Eye Threading and Spa in Milford, even during a pandemic. I am not exaggerating when I say that I met with her more than 10 times. She offers herself selflessly and goes well beyond expectations.
She even checks periodically to make sure I am doing okay! Joining the Chamber is the best investment I made."
Niru Tamang,
Softhand Threading & Spa
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