By Snohomish County Government | Press Release
Snohomish County supports small business owners on the front lines with PPE distribution
Snohomish County announced the launch of a program designed to support small businesses on the front lines of economic recovery as cases of COVID-19 rise across the region.
Snohomish County is launching its Safe Start Kits program during the fall holiday season to help small businesses stay safe. Local businesses are key for our economy and quality of life, but they also lead by example and help set the tone during challenging times. By adhering to health measures, our business leaders help reduce the spread illness, protect their employees and customers, and pave the way for economic recovery.
The Safe Start Kits program will assemble and distribute 2,500 boxes of PPE and 300 hand sanitizer stands to Snohomish County small businesses (having approximately 20 or fewer employees) to help them safely stay open and their customers healthy during the holiday season.
Snohomish County will coordinate events across the county with approximately 15 partners on November 17th followed up by distribution events and on-demand distribution around the county. The program will wrap up in mid-December.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “By making sure we equip local businesses for maximum safety during the holiday season, we strengthen our ability to fight COVID-19 and its negative impacts on our economy. I’m proud of the efforts of our business community to keep people employed and safe during these tough times.”
“This program is a critical piece of Snohomish County’s ongoing response to COVID-19 and is especially timely as the weather turns cold and case numbers rise,” said Snohomish County Council Chair Nate Nehring. “Small businesses are an integral part of the county’s response to COVID-19, and we are doing our part to keep them as safe as possible and our economy as resilient as possible.”
“With flu season among us, we’re seeing an alarming rise of COVID-19,” said Jacque Julien, the Executive Director of Communities of Color Coalition. “We’re asking all communities to move with care and compassion through the holiday season. Mask up SnoCo! Communities of Color Coalition (C3) is happy to support this countywide effort to keep our community strong and healthy!”
Each box of PPE will include:
- 1 infrared thermometer
- 50 cloth face masks (reusable)
- 150 disposable masks
- 2 (32 oz/1,000 ml) bottles of hand sanitizer with spray nozzles
- 100 pairs disposable gloves
- One 2-page insert with health information and links to translations
Detailed information and links to sign up available here: https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/SafeStartKits
Author: Mario Lotmore
