Chamber Urges Support of the Local Business Community

As news continues to emerge about the COVID-19 virus in Ventura County and throughout the United States, the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce is monitoring the issue to best respond to the ever-changing details and impact. In addition to the closure of businesses, schools and organizations, one of the more significant impacts of COVID-19 will be reduced economic activity in our City and region.
In response to the CDC and Ventura County Public Health guidelines about social distancing, the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce made the decision to cancel various networking events in March. The businesses that operate in Simi Valley do more than just work here; business owners and employees live here and raise their families here. Our concerns are first and foremost focused on the health and safety of our community.
As a champion for our community and a catalyst of business growth, the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce is concerned about the impacts this situation will have on our local businesses. We are focused on promoting and supporting the business community in this time of need. Times like these are when communities can and must rally together and help each other to get through the challenge. As we all make our personal decisions on how to proceed in the next weeks and months, we encourage everyone to consider the following to support the business community:

• Do your part to ensure the health of our community. Follow the guidelines of good hygiene and preventative measures set out by the CDC and look to public health officials for guidance.
• Healthy individuals should continue to live, work and participate in or community. Continue to support local restaurants and shops as it permits. If you are not comfortable dining out, consider ordering to-go or utilizing delivery services.
• Keep your subscription and/or membership services active, such as gyms, exercise classes, music lessons, massage services, etc. Many small businesses rely on these memberships and will appreciate the continued support.
• If resources permit, continue to support your preferred community and charitable organizations, as the demand for their services will likely increase in the next couple of weeks.
• Reach out to business owners and employees and ask how you can help support their business in this time of need.

Many businesses in the community have made significant changes to their operations to ensure the health and safety of both employees and customers, including extra cleaning, changes in customer contact protocol, and flexible work environments regarding employee health. 
If you are a business owner or manager and are looking for resources to stay current on new recommendations and best practices, visit the Coronavirus Resource page on the Chamber’s website (https://www.simivalleychamber.org/coronavirus-resources.html).   As we identify credible, reliable information, we will continue to update this page.
Over the next few weeks, we must be prepared to adapt to these ever-changing conditions and come together to support one another. We are confident that by approaching this situation in a calm, fact-based manner, the Simi Valley community will emerge stronger than ever.  

Kathi Van Etten
President/CEO
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce

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