NOVEMBER 2020 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 13
THIS MONTH
PANDEMIC-INDUCED ECONOMIC CRISIS
businesses’ most pressing needs as advised
by the business community: PPE
for employees and patrons and financial
aid.
“In collaboration with the county executive,
we were able to take immediate
steps to capitalize on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
New York Forward Loan Fund and
make $10 million in loans available for
our county’s small businesses and nonprofits,”
said Richard Kessel, chairman
of the Nassau County IDA and LEAC.
“These businesses were able to obtain up
to a $100,000 loan at a very low interest
rate, to help ease the financial uncertainty
caused by the pandemic. This quick
action, undoubtedly, helped countless
doors stay open during some of the most
difficult times.”
And in cooperation with the Town of
Hempstead, the Boost Nassau program
also awarded more than 3,000 companies,
small businesses, and nonprofits
with free PPE starter kits. This helped
ease the new financial stress placed on
businesses to provide PPE and other
cleaning measures in the workplace.
“We understand that not one Nassau
County resident or business had expected
2020 to bring a global pandemic
to our shores,” said Harry Coghlan, CEO
of the Nassau IDA and LEAC. “Our local
economy and downtowns have been
forced to reinvent themselves while
working to implement new regulations
and requirements. For any sized business
this could be challenging, if not impossible,
without assistance,” continued
Coghlan.
Furthering the Boost Nassau recovery
efforts for small businesses, Nassau
and Suffolk officials and the IDA
partnered with Discover Long Island
and debuted a new innovative mobile
Downtown Deals Travel Pass showcasing
the best of Long Island’s downtowns
and providing economic stimulus
through incentivized marketing efforts
for small businesses, restaurants, and
attractions.
“As case numbers steadily dropped, I
wrote to the state in support of reopening
gyms and fitness centers, barbers,
nail salons, malls, and youth sports —
including private organizations and
public schools — after touring their
facilities,” Curran continued. “I was
impressed by our business owners’ ingenuity
and the smart safety measures
they put in place. I knew they were
ready and could protect employees and
customers. And the proof is in the numbers.
We’ve held a 1 percent positivity
rate all while expanding our reopening
and getting people back to work.”
However, the challenges surrounding
the coronavirus are far from over. The
business community, while reopened,
is not without anxiety about a future
shutdown and a second wave that
appears to be hitting dozens of states
across the country.
“Staying in close communication with
our business community has helped
us identify their needs in real time
and develop targeted, meaningful
programs to assist with reopening
safely,” said Tsimis. “We were creative
in our use of federal resources and
collaborated with the IDA team to get
this done.”
Curran, the Nassau IDA, and LEAC
encourage all businesses owners to
follow them on social media to stay
apprised of COVID updates, additional
assistance programs, and helpful
webinars to aid businesses.
Laura Curran. (Photo by Tab Hauser)
“Our local economy and downtowns have been
forced to reinvent themselves while working to
implement new regulations and requirements,”
said Harry Coghlan.
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
