The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Birthday Bash On August 15th, come join The Children’s Museum in Bloomsburg for fun, food, and entertainment for their 35th Birthday Bash! There will be free admission from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and let’s not forget the birthday cake! Without the support of the community, they would not be where they are today. So come join as we celebrate 35 years of fun and learning! Also, please consider donating to help fund further programs. 
United in Recovery Celebrates Recovery Month this September From free webinars to a Virtual 5k, join United in Recovery for 30-days of self-care and other special events – all geared towards providing anyone experiencing substance use disorder with resources, support, and community. Now in its 31st year, Recovery Month takes place every September and is a month-long event designed to provide education on mental health and substance use disorders. It also celebrates the work of individuals in recovery and provides support to affected families and individuals in need. “It is a time to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and, ever importantly, celebrate the people who recover,” said Olivia Oden, Stigma Reduction and Education Coordinator at United in Recovery. “It is also a time to honor the treatment and service providers who make recovery possible.” September 1st kicks off United in Recovery’s celebration of Recovery Month with 30-days of self-care and their annual 5k fundraiser. Each day there will be a self-care challenge posted on the United in Recovery Facebook page (@unitedinrecoverycolumbiamontour). A printable version of the calendar can also be downloaded from the United In Recovery webpage. Due to the unique circumstances of COVID-19, United in Recovery is partnering with Titan Event Company to offer a ‘Virtual 5k’ this year. Participants choose from multiple distances (1 mile, 5k, or 10k) and can run or walk anytime, anywhere between September 1st – 21st. Everyone who participates is entered for a chance to win prizes. Winners will be selected at random. Registration is just $10 per person and kids 12 and under are free. Sign up today as an individual or a team at https://unitedinrecovery5k.itsyourrace.com/. Commemorative T-shirts are also available for purchase on the website for $15 each. All proceeds from this fundraiser benefit the United in Recovery program. “Here at United in Recovery we celebrate everyone’s path to recovery. That is why we wanted to make sure to honor the month with lots of events, opportunities to get involved, and informational sessions to learn more about substance-use disorder and local resources,” said Adrienne Mael, President/CEO of United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties. Two ‘Lunch and Learn’ webinars will be offered, the first on September 15th and the second on September 17th, from 12-1pm. Topics will include substance use disorder, what it is and how to fight the stigma surrounding this disease; the history of Recovery Month, as well as inspirational stories of recovery. Registration is free and opens on September 1st. Attendees must register in advance via the Zoom platform at https://cmcuw.org/events. September 22nd at 7 pm is ‘Recovery Stories,’ a virtual storytelling event. This event provides an opportunity for those experiencing substance use disorder to come together to inspire, teach, and influence change. The hope is to tear down the walls of stigma by creating a safe place to share, learn, and grow in our understanding of this disease and how it affects individuals, their families, and our community as a whole. Registration for this event is free and opens September 1st. To sign-up, visit https://cmcuw.org/events/recoverystories or follow our Facebook page for the link. “We want to cheer on those who have found recovery and support those still in the process,” said Ms. Mael. “Together we can end overdose deaths in our local communities and reduce the instances of substance-use disorder.” To learn more about Recovery Month and all the events United in Recovery has planned, visit the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties’ website https://cmcuw.org/unitedinrecovery or email UIR@cmcuw.org for more information. 
USG Safety Milestone On July 20, USG Washingtonville achieved 8 years without a loss time injury. Safety and quality of product are USG’s top priorities. The company’s commitment to safety is demonstrated by their diligent safety committee, monthly team safety meetings, and an exemplary team that performs their job both efficiently and safely. USG’s philosophy is ‘There is no job so important or so urgent that it cannot be done safely.’ 
Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation Awards Competitive Grants The Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation (BACF) recently awarded $9,450 to local nonprofits during its competitive grantround. The awards were granted through the Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation Fund and the Hartman / Robbins / Stroup Fund. The BACF focused its funding on organizations that invest in community programs and projects within Bloomsburg and surrounding areas. Those grant recipients include: • AGAPE Love from Above to Our Community, Heating Utility Assistance for Town of Bloomsburg Residents $1,400
• Bloomsburg Public Library, Free Computer Skills Training to Enhance Job & Career Success $555
• Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, BTE COVID-19 Precautions Project $500
• Central Susquehanna Sight Services, Inc., 2020/2021 Preventing Blindness in Our Community Initiative $500
• Columbia Child Development Program, Literacy materials for Infants through 5 years $755
• Eos Therapeutic Riding Center, Purchase of 2 Saddle Pads, Latigo Tie, Billet and 4 pair of wide angled stirrups $1,215
• Family Service Association of NEPA, PA 211 NE/ Help Line $500
• Friends of the Columbia County Traveling Library, Paying Off Our Traveling Library Together $700
• Ronald McDonald House of Danville, Inc., Share-A-Night Program $500
• The Arc Susquehanna Valley, Bloomsburg Area Social/Recreational Programs for Self-Advocates $500
• The Children’s Museum, Inc., Increasing Worker Safety at the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum $550
• Transitional Housing and Care Center of Columbia and Montour County, Road to Independence $775
• Coalition for Social Equity, Organization Support in Honor of Isabelle Tarr $1,000 The Bloomsburg Area Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation which helps administer BACF’s grant investments. Nonprofit organizations that provide programming in the Bloomsburg community and surrounding areas are encouraged to apply during the 2021 competitive grantround. Details will be available at www.csgiving.org.
On August 11th, the Chamber and Bloomsburg University‘s Zeigler College of Business co-hosted a webinar to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Todd Shawver, Dean of the Zeigler College of Business, also discussed the free services available through Bloomsburg University’s Small Business Recovery Program (SBRP).
Topics discussed included: business planning, marketing, e-commerce, and pursuing financing.
If you were unable to attend the webinar, a recording is available on YouTube. Information on the Zeigler College of Business’ Small Business Recovery Program is available here.
Governor Tom Wolf announced that $96 million in state grants have been awarded to 4,933 Pennsylvania small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order.
Businesses in every Pennsylvania county received grants in this first of two rounds of funding, and 2,512 grants – or 51 percent – were awarded to historically disadvantaged businesses.
“As we continue to address this public health crisis, it’s critical that we also focus on our state’s economic recovery and supporting our small businesses across the state, which continue to be impacted by our necessary mitigation efforts,” Gov. Wolf said. “This funding will go a long way to help small businesses, including historically disadvantaged businesses, at a time when they need it most.”
The COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance funding was developed in partnership with state lawmakers and allocated through the state budget, which included $2.6 billion in federal stimulus funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, of which $225 million was earmarked for relief for small businesses.
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) distributed the funds to the Pennsylvania Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which are administering the grants through three programs: $100 million for the Main Street Business Revitalization Program, $100 million for the Historically Disadvantaged Business Revitalization Program, and $25 million for the Loan Payment Deferment and Loss Reserve Program.
“The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly affected small businesses across the commonwealth, an unfortunate circumstance that could not have been predicted or prepared for,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. “However, through the collective action of the Wolf Administration, the General Assembly, and the CDFI Network, Pennsylvania’s hardest hit and most at-risk businesses will be able to access the funding they need to shore up their resources and regain sound financial footing as we move into recovery.”
The second and final round of funding is open starting today through 11:59 PM on Friday, August 28. Eligible applicants not awarded in the first round do not need to reapply and will be rolled into the next round for consideration. More information on the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program, including how to apply, is available on DCED’s website.
“The PA CDFI Network targeted these funds to reach the smallest and most vulnerable businesses across the state and we received an immense response with close to 50,000 applications submitted in the first round and more than $860 million in total requests,” said Daniel Betancourt, chairman of the PA CDFI Network and President & CEO of Community First Fund. “We are grateful to be part of this first step with Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Legislature to get much needed resources to the small businesses that have been so adversely impacted by the pandemic.”
The grants may be used to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and transition to re-opening, and for technical assistance including training and guidance for business owners as they stabilize and relaunch their businesses.
“These grants and the relief they will provide are testament to what we can do when we prioritize the right initiatives,” said state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia, Montgomery), Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “It is because of collaboration and a collective focus that today we were able to deliver help to the auto body shops, the barbershops, the beauticians, the pizza shop owners, the soul food establishments and other businesses across the commonwealth. It is critical to understand that there is still a great deal of need and must continue to direct resources and aid to our small business community to help it recover from the devastation of the pandemic.”
“I could not be more proud or more grateful for the great work of DCED and Pennsylvania’s CDFI Network in delivering substantive, fair, equitable, need-based assistance to our state’s main street and historically disadvantaged small businesses. Our program design and the accountability it provides to taxpayers and to our federal funders is a model for the nation,” said state Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe), Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. “I appeal to the US Congress and to our colleagues on both sides of the aisle in Harrisburg to recognize the success of this program in assisting small businesses devastated by the pandemic and to invest further in the program so we can help even more of them.”
“Our business community has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is in need of immediate assistance. The grant program is targeted to help small businesses manage costs, handle expenses, and stay in operation in this exceptionally difficult time,” said state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny, Westmoreland). “Since COVID struck our state and debilitated our business community, I have been advocating for bridge grants and sought millions in aid for impacted businesses and workers. The small business assistance grants are one of the tools we can use to bolster business, maintain jobs and help workers at a time of immense distress.”
“For minority and women-owned businesses in Pennsylvania COVID-19 didn’t create a crisis, it laid bare the crisis our minority entrepreneurs have been facing for decades,” said state Rep. Jake Wheatley Jr (D-Allegheny), Democratic chairman of the House Finance Committee. “While I’m glad to see the positive impact of these grants and I urge all local community businesses to apply for the next round of grants, we need to expand investment in programs like this because it’s long past time for the legislature to address the systemic flaws that are leaving too many marginalized people behind.”
“The burden that COVID-19 has put on business owners, employees and families in southeast Pennsylvania gets heavier every day,” said state Rep. Chris Sappey (D-Chester). “At this point, when we talk about addressing the pandemic, we must not only fight it with masks and social distancing, but we also must equally and strongly support our business community, where this fight for our health and safety actually is taking place. Commerce and industry must survive this virus, as well. Pennsylvania needs this aid now, and my office is eager to work with any business that needs help applying.”
More than 430 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Weis Markets #192- Bloomsburg.
Weis Markets is a grocery retailer that was founded in 1912. Currently, they employ approximately 19,000 associates throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia in their stores, distribution centers, corporate office, and manufacturing facilities. Their corporate office is located in Sunbury, PA. The company has a long-standing history with local communities, growers, and food banks.
To learn more about Weis Markets visit their website.
More than 430 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Tyler Bloom Consulting.
Tyler Bloom Consulting is a local, privately owned workforce and leadership consulting firm, that is focused on aligning business strategy with talent strategy for the long term. They design, diagnose, hire, and inspire high performing teams. Some of their focus areas include: Leadership and Managerial Training, Apprenticeship Program Services, Assistant and Staff Recruiting Services, Career Development and Marketing Strategy, Member and Customer Relations, Social Media Training, and Communication Training.
To learn more about their services, visit their website, or Facebook page.
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education held a workforce summit in November of 2019, where over 80 CEOs and Chief Human Resource Officers met to align on definitions and competencies needed to build a talent pipeline. The State System then heard from national funders about their interest in learning more about the Commonwealth’s regional differences both in-and-across six high demand industries of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, finance, energy, information technology, and agri-business.
The next step is to develop and hold Pennsylvania’s Regional Workforce Assemblies in September 2020. The four assemblies have the following objectives and are designed to benefit the Commonwealth by building synergies and partnerships across various job sectors and areas of expertise:
1) to understand the regional differences across the Commonwealth both within and across six high demand industry clusters;
2) to develop competency maps with an embedded quality assurance framework wrap around that then become useful tools for curriculum and skills development;
3) to pilot the competency curriculum through the upskilling and reskilling of adult learners;
4) to create a competency model that could be scaled Statewide
Prior to the first meeting, employers in these industry sectors are being asked to provide updated input via a survey by August 7th. The survey will only take 10-15 minutes to complete and is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Prepared4PA
Across the six industries and four regions in Pennsylvania, the objectives of the survey are to:
- Validate the top in-demand occupations that were collected from traditional labor market information, real-time labor market information, O*Net industry clusters, and feedback gathered from the Pennsylvania Prepares Workforce Summit,
- Gain insight into the relationships and partnerships between industry and higher education, and
- Understand talent pipeline challenges
The results will be used during the Regional Workforce Assemblies to articulate regional workforce demands across Pennsylvania and inform competencies to skills mapping needed for successful transitions in the workforce. Recognizing the importance of addressing the impacts on our workforce of both COVID -19 and a focus on inclusivity and diversity, facilitated sessions at the Workforce Assemblies will be dedicated to these issues.
Businesses in Columbia and Montour counties can apply for financial assistance through several programs. Application deadlines are on various dates in the month of August.
The Commissioners in each county have allocated dollars from the CARES Act to provide financial assistance in the form of grants for up to five months of fixed costs for small and tourism-oriented businesses.
Businesses that received funds through either the Paycheck Protection Program or Economic Injury Disaster Loan program are eligible for funding through these county programs. Businesses that did not receive funds through either of these programs are eligible for an additional 5%.
Columbia County businesses can receive up to $100,000 and the application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 10th.
Montour County businesses can receive up to $15,000 and the application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18th.
Additional details and the applications are available through the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation’s website.
For questions about the grant application, contact Christine Orlando, CSCF Senior Program Officer, corlando@csgiving.org, 570-752-3930, ext. 2.
Programs for non-profit organizations in the two counties will be announced later in August.
The COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance program provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The second application window will open at 9:00 a.m. on August 10th and will remain open for 15 business days closing at 11:59 p.m. on August 28th.
If you applied during the first application window, you do not need to reapply. Qualified applications will be automatically rolled over into the next funding round for consideration.
In order to get funds to businesses in need as quickly as possible, the second application window will be the final opportunity to apply for the program. The grant awards for businesses in the second application window will be made in two decision rounds for funding.
Click here for additional details about the program.
Columbia County businesses should apply at reinvestment.com.
Montour County businesses should apply at impactservices.org.
Businesses can also apply for loans of at least $10,000 with an interest rate of 3.25% through SEDA-COG. Funds can be used for working capital and can be disbursed based on past working capital expenses. No payments are due in the first six months. The U.S. Economic Development Administration recently awarded an additional $6.3 million for this program.
There is a $500 underwriting fee and a $100 filing fee.
For more information, visit https://seda-cog.org/covid-19/ or contact SEDA-COG’s Business Finance Department at cwca@seda-cog.org.
The Federal PPP program is also open until August 8th, though it is anticipated that the next Federal relief package will provide additional funding.
Bloomsburg University’s Zeigler College of Business is offering free consulting services to help area small businesses recover from the COVID-19 crisis and be successful for the long term. The Small Business Recovery Program assists businesses with planning, marketing, e-commerce, tax planning, and evaluating financing options. The Chamber is partnering with the College of Business to talk about the program and offer some tips for businesses to consider during a free webinar to be held at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11th. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
Dr. Todd Shawver, Dean of the Zeigler College of Business, will present the webinar. Members can register online or by calling the Chamber at 570-784-2522. Zoom meeting info will be provided upon registration. Businesses can request assistance through the Program at any time by filling out the online form.
Talen Energy to Test Siren System
Talen Energy will be sounding their siren systems within a 10 mile radius of the Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick on Thursday, August 20th at 11 am, as part of an annual test of the system. No public action is required. The sirens will sound with a steady signal lasting three minutes. This is only a test. If you have any questions, or for more information, please call the Talen Energy, Susquehanna Energy Information Center at 1-866-832-4474.
The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Birthday Bash
On August 15th, come join The Children’s Museum in Bloomsburg for fun, food, and entertainment for their 35th Birthday Bash! There will be free admission from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and let’s not forget the birthday cake! Without the support of the community, they would not be where they are today. So come join as we celebrate 35 years of fun and learning! Also, please consider donating to help fund further programs.
ArtFest 2020 Postponed Until 2021
With the good health of the people in our community as by far the most important factor, The Exchange, Downtown Bloomsburg Inc. (DBI), and the Town of Bloomsburg have decided that ArtFest should not take place in 2020. The boards of the two non-profits and Town Council agree that the COVID-19 pandemic makes an event of ArtFest’s size unwise, even outdoors. In addition, making ArtFest a success would mean trying to draw enough attendees that it would bump up against if not exceed the number, 250, that the Governor of Pennsylvania has determined as the limit on gatherings.
ArtFest would have taken place on Saturday, August 22nd, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. surrounding the fountain on the Square and up Market Street in downtown Bloomsburg, with more than thirty art and craft vendors, five food vendors, and live music by local performers all day. We now look forward to the 2021 event, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 21st.
Internet Service for Students and Teachers
Even though students will soon be preparing to return to school, there are many uncertainties and some may need to again rely on an eLearning environment. As a result, Service Electric Cablevision (SECV) will again offer 90 days free Internet service to students and teachers who do not already subscribe to SECV Internet. This offer includes the 40M x 4M tier of Internet service, along with a free cable modem rental. It applies only to persons who are not currently subscribed to SECV Internet service. Those persons who may have participated in the SECV spring Student offer and recently disconnected because the free offer period ended may once again participate in this fall offer. Other restrictions may apply including needing to resolve an unpaid balance for services previously provided. As before, Self-installation is required with the assistance of a technician outside the residence to ensure the safety of our employees. All new customers must provide written proof of their child’s current enrollment at a local school in SECV’s service area. All teachers must reside in SECV’s service area and provide evidence of current employment status with a school district. For more information or to enroll in the eLearning offer, please have students or teachers call us at 877.955.7328.
Service 1st Donates Personal Protective Equipment to Two Local Hospitals
(l-r): Kendra Aucker, President/CEO, Evangelical Community Hospital; Michael Howe, Facilities & Maintenance Specialist, Service 1st; Jay Reed, Chief Information Officer, Service 1st; Jennifer Daddario, Regional Vice President, Service 1st; and Bill Lavage, President/CEO, Service 1st.
Service 1st Federal Credit Union donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to two local hospitals to help replenish supplies used since the initial response to the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.
A combined donation of 2,000 gowns were recently provided to Evangelical Community Hospital, located in Lewisburg and Geisinger Medical Center, located in Danville.
“Everyone is feeling the challenge of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, including our local hospitals,” said Bill Lavage, President/CEO, Service 1st. “We are pleased to be able to provide the front-line health care workers at these hospitals with the necessary protection to perform their important work.”
(l-r): Dave Shope, Assistant Vice President Business Development, Service 1st; Linda Brown, Chief Administrative Officer, Service 1st; Bill Lavage, President/CEO, Service 1st; Joseph Goyne, Senior Director of Logistics, Geisinger Medical Center; Tom Sokola, Chief Administrative Officer; Geisinger Medical Center; and Angela Brouse, Regional Director of the Geisinger Health Foundation.
Credit unions are member-owned and share the fundamental belief of ‘people helping people’. Service 1st was proud to be among 17 regional credit unions and credit union partners that worked together to support healthcare facilities throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Combined, their efforts provided over 30,000 medical gowns.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
A few months after the Democratic-led U.S. House passed a $3 trillion COVID-19 pandemic federal relief package, the U.S. Senate released a plan of their own last week that would spend $1 trillion in an effort to help struggling businesses and individuals in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and contains important liability protections for employers complying with health and safety guidelines.
The Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act would also extend federal unemployment compensation benefits but reduce from $600 to $200 the additional amount claimants would receive on top of regular state benefits. Ultimately, states would have the option to transition from the fixed federal enhancement to an individualized formula that provides workers 70 percent of their previous wages, though state officials have expressed skepticism that Pennsylvania’s antiquated unemployment compensation system could accommodate a percentage-based approach.
The bill would also provide a second round of stimulus checks to taxpayers, an expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program that was originally included in the March CARES Act, and new tax credits for employers who purchase personal protective equipment for workers and customers.