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No sector of society will escape the COVID-19 pandemic unscathed, but there are certain parts of our economy that have borne the brunt of the economic devastation it has wrought, and among those is the hospitality industry.
With restrictions on things like travel and gathering sizes imposed in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, it made it very difficult, if not impossible, for places like hotels, restaurants and bars to remain open without hemorrhaging money.
Some made the unpleasant choice to reduce hours and/or furlough staff. Some made the even more unpleasant choice to shut down entirely. Many of those who did may never reopen. With the obvious exception of those who work in health care, no group of people has sacrificed more over the past 14 months than hospitality workers.
But for those who have made it this far, help is available right now.
SEDA-Council of Governments is overseeing the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Relief Program, known as CHIRP for short. Hospitality industry businesses that suffered losses in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible to apply for and receive a grant of anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000.
It costs absolutely nothing to apply, but the rewards could very well mean the difference between keeping staff and having to resort to layoffs or permanent staff reductions or even the difference between staying open and going out of business.
It's literally no risk, all reward.
The county commissioners locally have been huge cheerleaders of this program and rightfully so. It's a beacon of light breaking up what has been a period of unprecedented darkness for these types of businesses.
We urge any local business that's eligible to apply. Contact your local county planning office or the county commissioners or even SEDA-COG directly, but action must be taken soon. The program lasts until June 15 or until all the money has been allocated, whichever comes first.
Like many of you, we enjoy frequenting our local businesses and seeing familiar friendly faces there every time we visit.
With the end of this wretched pandemic finally in sight, we plead with eligible area business owners to participate in this program. We want so badly for you all to still be here when this is finally over.
And when it is, we'd love nothing more than to come visit again, break bread together, grab a drink and toast to that.