Community Relief
It’s like nothing business owners and operators have ever faced.
One week, we are amid an unprecedented boom, all cylinders running. The next week, stores and manufacturing plants shuttered and employees laid off. The coronavirus pandemic has shaken the world of commerce to its core.
Rallying to help local businesses recover, the Texarkana Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation was created. The Texarkana, USA Regional Chamber of Commerce and Ritter Communications with other community partners raised $75,000 to assist small businesses in the community. The COVID-19 Business Support Program will assist Chamber member businesses with less than 30 full-time employees with a grant of up to $1,000. Local community businesses and organizations came together to establish this program to assist other local small businesses affected by COVID-19. This program will fund personal protection equipment (PPE), utility bills—gas, water/sewer, electricity, internet, phone services, etc.—or other significant business operating needs, such as rent.
The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” —Coretta Scott King
This support program addresses safe workplace issues and financial challenges. Ritter Communications CEO Alan Morse said, “We want to help small businesses get back on their feet. We believe our $25,000 contribution to the Chamber’s relief program will allow the program to support more businesses as they reopen and find their way in this new business environment. We commend the Chamber’s leadership for making this program available.” Morse continued, “Ritter Communications invests in the communities we serve. We’re proud and excited about entering the Texarkana market to serve businesses with our 100% fiber internet, voice, cloud, networking and television services. Supporting the Texarkana commercial community through the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Relief Program makes sense to us.”
“We know these are unprecedented times in our country. The Chamber Board knows small businesses are the backbone of our great Texarkana community and America. We want to help these partners in our community in any way possible,” said Joey Martin, owner of Express Employment Professionals and Chamber Board Chairman.
Priority will be given to businesses that were closed, laid-off employees, limited operations due to COVID-19 mitigation, or can show other direct negative affects threatening the ability of the business to continue operations long term. To qualify for the support program the business must have a Texarkana TX/AR regional address and employ 30 full-time equivalent employees or less. A fund oversight committee will review all funding requests. This committee will consist of representatives from businesses in the Texarkana region. The Committee will make a good faith effort to meet an applicant’s request, but all distributions will be contingent upon the degree of financial need, the timeliness of application submission and the availability of funds.
The application can be found at www.texarkana.org/covid19-grant. Applications will be taken through June 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until the funds are depleted. The grant limits the maximum request for funding to $1,000 for a 45-day period. After 45 days an applicant may submit another request provided funding is available.
The business must provide the necessary documentation in order for the Foundation to pay expenses directly to the vendor on behalf of the funding recipient.
“The Texarkana, USA COVID-19 Support Program fits well within our mission at the Chamber, ‘To lead and advocate for sustainable economic growth and prosperity for our region.’ We are excited to have the opportunity to help our community,” explained Tammy Waters, Chamber Board Member and Manager of Communications and Government Relations at Domtar.
This program would be impossible without the support of these organizations.
If your business or organization would like to donate to the support program, please contact Natalie Haywood at nhaywood@texarkana.org. “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” This quote by Coretta Scott King illustrates how fortunate we are to live in a community with local leaders who rally together in support of the whole community. 
The Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce is a private trade association focusing on community and economic development for the greater Texarkana region. The Chamber has been a community partner for over 100 years in Bowie and Miller counties. Information on the Chamber is available at 819 North State Line Avenue, Texarkana, Texas or 903-792-7191 or www.texarkana.org.
