Stark County Department of Health recently issued the following announcement.
The Stark County Health Department is expanding the application qualifications for area businesses looking to apply for the COVID-19 Business Safety Initiative. The health department’s initiative will continue to work with businesses that are located in a low-to-moderate income area within the county and now will welcome applications from businesses that are within the Stark County Health Department’s jurisdiction (outside of Alliance, Canton, Massillon or Hills & Dales). Those interested should visit www.starkhealth.org and look for the COVID-19 Business Safety Initiative section on the homepage.
“The funds from the Community Development Block Grant through the Stark County Board of Commissioners are helping many businesses across our county,” said Health Commissioner Kirkland Norris, RS, MPH.
All business applicants must have on-site staff and/or serve customers in-person. Those businesses located within a low-to-moderate income area is considered where 41.24% of individuals/families are living at or below the Area Median Income. Those businesses applying would be able to choose from items like automatic hand sanitizing dispensers, plexiglass barriers, disinfectant spray units, etc. or ideas can be submitted that the business believes could make their space safer for employees and customers.
“This funding is to support the health department’s COVID-19 response activities benefitting low-to-moderate-income communities and other businesses located within our jurisdiction. We have been able to deliver over $25,000 worth of safety items to businesses and organizations across our county,” said Norris.
The initiative gives businesses (i.e. small or large businesses, food pantries, non-profit organizations, retail stores, restaurants, assisted living facilities) the opportunity to apply for items that may help to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among their employees and customers. The Phase 3 application process is open and goes through Thursday, June 30. The process for application is simple: 1. Locate the business to see if it is located in the qualified area. 2. Fill out the short application that asks for the business' safety needs. 3. Once the application has been reviewed, the department’s compliance officer will perform a site visit. 4. Upon approval of the application, the department will setup the process for distribution of the item(s). Some exceptions may apply to organizations but the determination will be made after the application is submitted. An important reminder for any businesses that are applying, they may not have received other business assistance from other sources such as federal, state, county and/or Small Business Administration funds for the same type of assistance or items.
“We appreciate our business community’s willingness to keep their employees and customers safe as we continue to navigate the pandemic,” said Norris.
Original source can be found here.
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