Page 14 - BusinessWest August 17, 2020

Easthampton “It’s one place where any-
“While many restaurants in the city were affected by the virus, they’ve adapted well by doing things they didn’t do before, like offering takeout options. It’s remarkable that they’ve
been able to continue to offer a
Continued from page 11
office space,” LaChapelle said, adding that public infrastructure to support this project includes a roundabout that connects a residential area, the industrial park, and the mill district of Easthamp- ton. The first building in the project, recently completed, provides space for two businesses and two apartments.
“Right now, this project is providing jobs and vitality for the area, and that will only increase,” she noted. “One Ferry is huge for our future.”
Another bright note for the future involves Adhesive Applications, which makes adhesive tapes for use in more than a dozen industries. The longtime Easthampton manufacturer is planning a 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot addition to the company, the mayor said.
The chamber and the mayor’s office are also working together on Blueprint Easthampton, a resource map designed for entrepreneurs and business people.
MO BELLIVEAU
one who wants to do business in Easthampton can go to learn about what resources are avail- able to them,” said Mo Belli- veau, executive director of the chamber.
According to a news release on Blueprint Easthampton, the mapping initiative will improve access to available business tools and strengthen the links between the city and the busi- ness community.
New Normal
While work continues on these projects, efforts continue to assist those businesses impacted by the pandemic. And the Greater Easthampton Chamber has played a large role in such efforts.
Prior to the pandemic, Belliveau had begun shifting the emphasis at the agency away from events and more on edu- cation and discussion-type program- ming. After organizing and sched- uling programs for the year, stay- at-home orders went into effect in March and wiped out all those plans.
“Like so many small businesses, we at the chamber had to pivot along with our partners and find new ways to provide meaningful value to our community,” Belliveau said, adding that many of these new ways involve providing information — and other forms of support — to businesses
“It’s one place where anyone who wants to do business in Easthampton can go to learn about what resources are
during the pandemic.
Indeed, Easthampton received a $30,000 grant
from the state attorney general’s office designed to help small businesses pay for COVID-19-re- lated expenses and allow them to continue their operations. LaChapelle invited the chamber to be the administrator of what became the Greater Easthampton Sustaining Small Business Grant (SSBG) program. Applicants could request up to $1,500 and use the grant for buying PPE, paying their rent, or purchasing supplies needed to com- ply with state guidelines on reopening.
DAVE DELVECCHIO
service to the community, but in a different way.
”
available to them.”
A total of 31 businesses qualified for the grants, which were to be awarded on a first- come, first-served basis. Fortunately, all 31 appli- cants received grant money totaling more than $43,000, thanks to donations from Easthampton- businesses Applied Mortgage, which kicked in an additional $10,000, and Suite 3, which cov- ered the remain-
der of the funding
requests.
Easthampton
Continued on page 59
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