• Families First Corona Virus Response Act: On Wednesday the President signed into law H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. This bill provides, among other things, provisions to address Paid Sick Leave, Paid Family and Medical Leave, and Unemployment Insurance for workers displaced by the ongoing outbreak. Furthermore, it includes provisions to provide diagnostic testing for coronavirus, and bolsters Medicaid and nutrition programs for at risk populations. Click here to see the U.S. Chamber’s summary. 

• Congress’s focus has now turned to the Phase Three stimulus package. Click here to see the U.S. Chamber’s letter to Congress and the President with the business community’s recommendations. 

• The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is now accepting applications from Massachusetts businesses. The Executive Office of House and Economic Development (EOHCD) encourages all Massachusetts companies to apply: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

• If small businesses have applied to Mass Growth Capital Corporation’s Small Business Recovery Loan fund, EOHCD encourages them to apply for additional EIDL support.

• Due to the availability of EIDL funds, applications to the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund at MGCC are no longer being accepted as of 12:30pm on March 19, 2020.

• The latest information and guidance regarding COVID-19 is always available at mass.gov/COVID19.

• Emergency unemployment legislation has been enacted to assist individuals who cannot work due to the impact of COVID-19. The emergency law will allow new claims to be paid more quickly by waiving the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits.

• The Chamber office will be open by appointment only, with Chamber staff working remotely from home. All team members are available by email, and calls to the Chamber will be monitored and voice mail messages will be responded to a member of the Chamber team.

• The Chamber has created a special COVID-19 information and resource page on our website here. Please send business updates to Olivia Perez-O’Dess ([email protected]) so that we may share these with the Cape Ann community.

• From our Friends at Historic New England: For your enjoyment and a calming moment in your day: https://www.historicnewengland.org/say-hello-to-comet/

• From our Friends at Cape Ann Museum: The museum is offering lectures on their Vimeo page, currently featuring lectures from their Judith Sargent Murray lecture series. Learn more about the museum's Fitz Henry Lane collection by discovering Fitz Henry Lane Online—a freely-accessible interactive and interdisciplinary online resource created by the Cape Ann Museum. For children and educators and families visit the museum’s Education page and learn about Timeship, the museum’s publication about real Cape Ann people from all time periods, distributed to appropriate grade levels throughout the community free of charge.

• Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) Launches COVID-19 Response Fund for Non-Profits: The fund will help nonprofits across Essex County that are struggling to meet the dramatic increase in community needs due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Find more information here.

• Our Friends at Aberdeen Home Care are helping us “stay informed, stay safe, and stay healthy” with up to date information on their website here.

• The Manchester-by-the-Sea Police Department is offering pick-up and delivery services for residents identified as higher risk of serious health complications should they contract the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) or for those who are self-quarantined. This includes the delivery of groceries, prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines and vital supplies. Manchester residents are asked to call 978-526-1212 to set up deliveries and for all non-emergency matters.

• Sam Adams and the Greghill Foundation have started a fund to disperse funds to full time restaurant employees- $1,000 grants.  Here's the link: https://www.thegreghillfoundation.org/restaurantstrong/  

• As we learn of more creative ways that you our members are adapting and responding, we will share them through all of our Chamber communications channels.

• The Open Door: The Open Door is making every effort to keep our programs operating during this COVID-19 (Coronavirus) event, with some adjustments. Please check their Facebook page for updates:

• Gloucester Food Pantry: Open Monday–Friday, 10 AM–5 PM, for curbside pick-up; clients are asked not to enter the building. Pull up to the front of our building on Emerson Ave., and a volunteer or staff member will bring you groceries pre-packed for your household size. If you work during this time, or are quarantined and unable to pick up groceries, please call 978-283-6776 or email [email protected].

• A message to the community from Action Inc.

• Action Inc. is here to help! We remain committed to our mission and will continue to serve the community in the face of current challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While our Main Office (180 Main St.) and Energy Office (47 Washington St.) are now temporarily closed, we continue to provide services via phone appointments and email. Our Emergency Shelter remains open and operational. All Main Office and Energy Office services will be available Monday – Friday 9am-5pm. If you have general inquiries or questions, please call 978-282-1000 or [email protected]. You can also live chat with our team members at actioninc.org

• For program specific questions or issues please use the following contact information:

• Fuel Assistance / [email protected] / 978-281-3900

• Energy Efficiency / [email protected] / 978-283-2131

• Client & Housing Services / [email protected] / 978-282-1000

• Emergency Shelter / [email protected] / 978-283-4125

• Education & Training Center / [email protected] / 978-282-1000

• All messages are being picked up and responded to throughout the day

• Supermarket & Convenience Store Hours:

• Common Crow: Hours will stay the same.8am -8pm Orders can be taken over the phone or www.commoncrow.com

• Jeff's Variety, Eastern Avenue, Gloucester: Hours as of now will be his normal hours. 5am - 8pm

• Lanesville Package Store, Washington Street, Lanesville: Hours will be normal 8am- 8pm

• Crosby's Market, Manchester-by-the-Sea: Normal hours for now. Mon-Sat. 7am -8pm, Sunday 7am - 7pm

• Whistlestop Market, Whistlestop Mall, Rockport: Normal hours 9am -7pm. Call and order ahead for curbside pickup or local Rockport delivery

• Market Basket, Gloucester Crossing: Mon-Sat 7am - 9pm; Sunday 7am -7pm. Senior hours: 5:30 - 7:30am Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays.

• Shaw’s Railroad Ave, Gloucester: Hours have been shortened by one hour. Hours are 7am -8pm Senior hours: 7-9am Tuesdays & Thursdays

• Shaw’s Eastern Ave, Gloucester: Hours have been shortened by one hour. Hours are 7am -8pm. Senior hours: 7-9am Tuesdays & Thursdays

• Stop & Shop Thatcher Rd: Hours have changed as follows: Open 7:30am - 8pm Senior hours: 6 -7:30am.

• Cape Ann Pharmacy Hours and Operations:

• Walgreens in Rockport: Hours have not changed; Mon - Sat 8am -8pm, Sunday 9am -5pm

• Allen's Pharmacy, Manchester-by-the-Sea: Hours have been reduced. Filling online prescription orders. Call (978) 526-1321 for details.

• CVS Thatcher Rd., Gloucester: Hours have not changed. Open: 8am -10pm. CVS has a Covid-19 hotline 1-888-300-4419.

• CVS Main St, Gloucester: Hours have not changed. Open 8am -9pm CVS has a Covid-19 hotline 1-888-300-4419.

• Walgreens Main St., Gloucester: Hours have not changed. This is a 24 hour store. Store manager having daily conference calls with their corporate office about hours. We will update store hour information as we learn of any changes.

• Stop & Shop in Gloucester and Shaw’s in Peabody are hiring. For details about Stop and Shop positions visit www.itsmycareer.com and enter Stop & Shop; for details about Shaw’s in Peabody click here.