Community Corner
'Town Hall' To Answer Uptown Small Business Coronavirus Questions
Northern Manhattan lawmakers and Small Business Services will hold a virtual forum to help businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
UPTOWN, MANHATTAN — Northern Manhattan lawmakers will hold a virtual "Town Hall" this week to help small businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The city's Small Business Services Commissioner, Gregg Bishop, will join a group of elected officials in a virtual forum from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday to answer questions from businesses that are wondering how to stay afloat during the coronavirus, which has forced most businesses in New York City to close their doors.
"During these last weeks, small businesses in Northern Manhattan have been severely impacted by the restrictions imposed by the Novel Coronavirus," Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez wrote in a notice about the town hall. "Local businesses have had to take drastic measures, layoff employees and implement changes to traditional business models to appropriately respond to the demands of operating in the time of the Novel Coronavirus."
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The meeting, hosted by Rodriguez, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Assembly Member Carmen De La Rosa and state Sen. Robert Jackson, will be open to all businesses and also those that are interested in learning more about New York's response to helping small businesses and employees.
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The forum will aim to inform participants about the resources and financial assistance that exists for small businesses who have been impacted by the national health crisis, Rodriguez said.
Those interested in joining the conversation can fill out an RSVP LINK. Spanish translation will be provided.
New York State had 96,528 confirmed COVID-19 cases — 47,439 cases in New York City — as of Wednesday morning, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Figures released by the city Tuesday evening showed 1,096 people had died from the virus.
New York State deaths reached 1,941 cases as of Wednesday and only one New York county didn't have a confirmed COVID-19 case.
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