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Businesses throughout the Richmond region have joined together to combat the COVD-19 crisis.
On Friday, representatives from several discussed the virus and their efforts during a virtual town hall meeting organized by ChamberRVA.
“The last seven weeks we've been working with a group of about 40 that include nonprofit agencies, economic development organizations, local chambers of commerce, community foundations and others,” said ChamberRVA CEO Brian Anderson during the online meeting. “For the primary focus of . . . making sure clear and concise information is being communicated.”
The chamber, Shamin Hotels, Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond and Ledbury have merged resources to administer aid to people affected by the virus.
The businesses involved are eager to begin a safe and responsible re-opening after all the efforts put forth toward combating the outbreak, Anderson said.
According to Sherrie Brach Armstrong, president and CEO of Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond, the main focus is a COVID-19 response fund, which has gathered about $5.5 million.
“There has been about $2.3 million distributed out of the fund to date,” Armstrong said. Most of that money, she said, has been donated to organizations, nonprofits and initiatives that are focusing on responding to the crisis from a healthcare perspective.
Shamin Hotels and Ledbury (a men’s clothier) are reacting to the health crisis while their businesses are being affected from an economic standpoint.
“We set up the Shamin Cares Associate Assistance Fund with an initial gift of $100,000” said Neil Shamin, CEO of Shamin Hotels. With the help of the Community Foundation, the company was able to provide food, shelter, utilities and any medical expenses to its employees, Shamin said.
Ledbury, which has closed its stores, has found another way to keep busy.
“Next week we are delivering 75,000 masks to the VCU health system,” said Paul Tribble, the company’s CEO, who said that local businesses can help meet a variety of tremendous community needs.
“We recognize that the pandemic presents new and unique challenges for school districts, students, small businesses, nonprofits, families – really everybody,” said Amber Tillman, the community development manager for Facebook’s Henrico data center, which is nearing completion in Sandston.
Revenue streams of entire industries have been impacted across the board, Armstrong said, and businesses are going to have to reinvent their business models, and potentially team up with other businesses to combine resources in the future once the economy re-opens.
