Helping businesses with the visible and invisible toll of COVID-19

MICHAEL DALBY, PRESIDENT AND CEO

At the Greater Naples Chamber, we continue to see how COVID-19 has impacted many aspects of our economy. While some businesses have managed to push through, most have seen significant revenue losses, many have laid off employees and opportunities for relief are dwindling.

Moreover, there is another less visible toll on our economy--one not seen in storefronts or balance sheets. Business owners and managers are faced each day with making decisions that impact their staffs and even determining if they keep the lights on. It is not unusual for small business owners to have invested their savings, leveraged personal assets and taken loans to build their businesses. Their shops are often also their retirement plans.

Now, their livelihoods are threatened.

The uncertainly of these times has taken a toll on our collective mental health. Small business owners in particular face immense stresses in the face of sometimes unrealistic expectations.

For over 75 years, the Chamber has been the place to go when employers, residents and visitors need help. While much has changed over the past seven months, our commitment to helping Collier County thrive remains the same.

The Chamber stands ready to help employers, workers and community members recover from the lasting impact of COVID-19. While businesses often turn to us for connections to financial and business resources, we can also help connect employers and employees to mental and physical healthcare providers, make employment connections and, as always, give voice to our economy, which allows us to have the shops and services we count on.

We are here to help. Use us – and together we can ensure Collier emerges stronger than ever.

Resources:
NCH Healthcare System COVID-19 updates and resources
Lee Health COVID-19 updates and resources
David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health COVID-19 updates and resources
Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida COVID-19 updates and resources
The Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University COVID-19 updates and resources