âAll was great, and then COVID hit. It was scary,â Giambra said.
The coronavirus pandemic was gaining ground fast in Pennsylvania, and to slow the spread, the state government ordered non-essential businesses to temporarily close by March 19 or face enforcement action.
Giambra, who opened her Wyoming Avenue shop, The Yoga Studio, in 2008, saw a glimmer of hope when, days after the closure, Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program â a forgivable loan program to help small businesses stay afloat and keep employees on payroll.
Giambraâs accountant submitted an application for her. She expected to qualify for about $3,000. She got $600.
Giambra said $3,000 would have helped cover her rent, and thatâs why she applied â âto continue being able to keep my place afloat until business came back to where it was. It still hasnât.â
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AGG Dietary Supplements team leader Kevin M. Bell and team member Robert Durkin discuss some of the more interesting issues and challenges they have encountered when working with clients to ensure they maximized opportunities to monetize the greatest value from their natural products and how a well thought out and executed regulatory strategy can help.
Each month, we ll release a new podcast where different members of our Food and Drug practice and colleagues in other related life science teams will See more +
AGG Dietary Supplements team leader Kevin M. Bell and team member Robert Durkin discuss some of the more interesting issues and challenges they have encountered when working with clients to ensure they maximized opportunities to monetize the greatest value from their natural products and how a well thought out and executed regulatory strategy can help.
Leaders of area chambers of commerce have written letters imploring Gov. Tom Wolf and state and federal legislators to pass stimulus packages to help small businesses, workers and industry sectors impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
âAbsent such federal and state action, we fear the network of small businesses that make up the foundation of our local economy is at risk of collapse,â the letters said.
The letters point out that the pandemicâs impact in Northeast Pennsylvania has been unprecedented and it has been dramatically impacting small businesses, restaurants, taverns, boutiques, travel, accommodations and service sectors.
While some economic and job improvement occurred in the second and third quarters partially because of federal and state stimulus programs, unemployment assistance and the lifting of business restrictions after the first wave, the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases âhas brought dramatic cooling in the overall recovery,â the letters stat
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Lindsay Griffin, vice president and COO, Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce; Mary Malone, president of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Hetro, executive director of the Back Mountain Chamber of Commerce and Michelle Mikitish, executive vice president of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce are among the area chamber leaders who signed letters urging Gov. Tom Wolf and legislators to pass stimulus packages. They are shown in a file photo with Luzerne County Manager David Pedri.Â