North Carolina small businesses urge Congress to quickly pass covid funding

January 29, 2021

North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation 

Washington D.C. 

 

Dear Senators and Representatives, 

As small business owners across North Carolina, we are urging you to support passing legislation immediately that will provide financial assistance to businesses struggling during the pandemic, fund necessary COVID-19 testing infrastructure, and boost the production and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Our state’s economy is in crisis, and more people are dying from COVID19 every day. 

Many small businesses face a continued slump in revenue, and many are hanging on by a thread. As the virus rages on, more restrictions may be necessary to curb the spread of the virus, and businesses need financial assistance to weather the storm. 

Economists have made clear that in the long term, the only way to save lives and fully repair the economy is to get the virus under control.

Health experts agree that widespread testing is one of the most effective ways to reign in the virus, but our state is falling far short of the testing levels we’d need to effectively suppress the virus. According to the Brown University School of Public Health and Harvard Global Health Institute, North Carolina needs to do four times more testing than it’s doing now. Federal assistance to states for purchasing testing supplies and coordinating testing infrastructure is key to hitting the appropriate testing levels as quickly as possible. 

Masks, gloves, and other kinds of PPE are still in short supply, and we know wearing masks is one of the most effective ways to slow transmission of the virus. These shortages could get worse as the virus spreads across the country. We need the federal government to boost the production of PPE through the Defense Production Act, and to coordinate distribution of those materials in a transparent way. 

For the sake of our lives and our livelihoods, please support passing legislation immediately that will: 

• Provide financial assistance to small businesses to bolster their current standing and allow them to weather any future virus related restrictions;

• Invest at least $50 billion for producing COVID19 tests and relevant testing infrastructure. That additional funding, plus the resources provided in the last covid package, will give the level of support public health experts deem necessary for a robust testing response;

• Provide necessary funding to boost PPE production through the Defense Production Act, and establish a system for transparent distribution of those materials.

Without swift action, more North Carolina businesses will close their doors for good, and more lives will be lost unnecessarily to this deadly virus. 

Sincerely, 

Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce, Leanne Patrick, Littleton, North Carolina 

Rush Hour Karting, Adam Saad, Garner, North Carolina 

Mayfel’s, Mary Woolley, Asheville, North Carolina

The Green Monkey LLC, Rusty Sutton, Raleigh, North Carolina

High Five Coffee, Jay Weatherly, Asheville, North Carolina

Freeman’s Creative, Ellen Freeman-Lynde, Durham, North Carolina

Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery, Anthony McVay, Asheville, North Carolina

Mike D’s BBQ LLC, Michael De Los Santos, Durham, North Carolina 

Durty Bull Brewing Company, Matthew Pennisi, Durham, North Carolina

McKenzie Botanicals LLC, Tina McKenzie, Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Turtle Island Pottery, Maggie Jones, Old Fort, North Carolina

Trout Lily Market & Deli, Laura Telford, Fairview, North Carolina

Rose & Lee Co., Amber Brennan, Apex, North Carolina

Attic Salt Theatre Company, Jeff Catanese, Asheville, North Carolina

2nd Paige Studio, Paige Houghton, Asheville, North Carolina

67 Biltmore Downtown Eatery & Catering, Emily Thome, Asheville, North Carolina

Frites and Taters, Jill Santa Lucia, Raleigh, North Carolina

Green River Woods, Inc., Matt Christie, Asheville, North Carolina

Haywood Common, Hannah Cosner, Asheville, North Carolina

Artisan Aromatics, Ivan Prim, Highlands, North Carolina

Asheville Bujinkan Dojo, Owen Hempton, Candler, NC

Asheville Integrative Therapies, Nicole Johnson, Asheville, North Carolina

Copper Crown, Kate Bannasch, Asheville, North Carolina

Deanna Chilian Fine Art, Deanna S Chilian, Asheville, North Carolina

Ebb & Flow Massage Therapy Center, Lauren Loiacono, Asheville, North Carolina

Art Garden Avl, Annie Bennett, Asheville, North Carolina

Arteries Mobile Boutique, Stina Andersen, Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville Raven & Crone LLC, Lisa Anderson, Asheville, North Carolina

Chef Michael’s Catering, Inc., Judyth McKnight, Fletcher, North Carolina

Chu Art+Dzine, Jon Chu, Asheville, North Carolina

ELK Local Foods, Lora Neel, APEX, North Carolina

Ella’s Popcorn, Jill Lucia, Raleigh, North Carolina

Blue Dream Curry House, James Sutherland, Asheville, North Carolina

Blue Lotus Design Studios, Jennifer Suess, Asheville, North Carolina

Bull City Fair Trade, Amy Bourret, Durham, North Carolina

Ashley Lozano Jewelry, Ashley Lozano Edmonds, Mars Hill, North Carolina

Catering Works, Inc., Lorin Laxton, Raleigh, North Carolina

Local Charm, Jennifer Bernat, Rolesville, North Carolina

Charmed Asheville, Daniel Areyzaga, Asheville, North Carolina

Fig’s Market, Jill, Lucia, Raleigh, North Carolina

Vivian Saich Designs, Vivian Saich, Asheville, North Carolina

White Oak Pottery, Julie Olson, Durham, North Carolina

Trish Salmon, Canton, North Carolina

Asheville Goods, Celia Naranjo, Asheville, North Carolina

Mid Town Eats, Jill Santa Lucia, Raleigh, North Carolina

Moogseum, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Asheville, North Carolina

Ms. B’s Bake Shop LLC, Benisha Hunter, Benson, North Carolina

PennyCup Coffee Co., Bill Tanner, Asheville, North Carolina

Pizza Pit, Magda Saad, Garner, North Carolina

The Social, Christen Short, Asheville, North Carolina

Three Cats Creative, LLC, Heather Davis, Asheville, North Carolina

Trackside Studios, Julie Bell, Asheville, North Carolina

Lollipops Ltd., Ashley Tolbert, Asheville, North Carolina

Melissa Designer Jewelry, Melissa, Booth, Hillsborough, North Carolina

Purl’s Yarn Emporium, Elizabeth & Rik Schell, Asheville, North Carolina

Response Physical Therapy, Dan Cyr, Cary, North Carolina

Instant Karma, Jackie Rees, Asheville, North Carolina 

Ivory Road LLC, Jill Wasilewski, Arden, North Carolina

Katie Button Restaurants, Elizabeth Button, Asheville, North Carolina

River Arts District Artists, Andrea Kulish, Asheville, North Carolina

Roman’s Deli and Catering, Roman Braverman, Asheville, North Carolina

Round Earth Roasters, Laura Telford, Asheville, North Carolina

Carolina Hemp Company, Trent Williams, Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville Furniture Repair, Jeremy Winstead, Asheville, North Carolina

Pops Backdoor, Saroj Poudel, Durham, North Carolina

Bull City Inflatables, Swift Swift, Durham, North Carolina 

Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast, Monica Edwards, Durham, North Carolina

Crafts & Drafts NC, Virginia George, Durham, North Carolina

Creative Divine Studios, Melinda de Marmion, Hendersonville, North Carolina

freelightphoto, Can Dickerson, Durham, North Carolina

Skylander Media, Julie Ross, Durham, North Carolina

Slower Medicine, PLLC, Kenneth Stone, MD, Durham, North Carolina

Horse & Buggy Press, Dave Wofford, Durham, North Carolina

Amy May Pop Art, Amy Arcos, Durham, North Carolina

Tierra Sol Studio, Seana Monley Rodriguez, Durham, North Carolina

Belle Ciocche Hair Studio, Amy Tucker, Durham, North Carolina

Soul Sidewalk, Catherine Heaton, Asheville, North Carolina

Spiritex, Corey Jones, Asheville, North Carolina

SportHQ, LLC, Dan Cyr, Cary, North Carolina

Studio A LLC, Chris Wilhelm, Asheville, North Carolina

The Glass Jug Beer Lab, Chris Creech, Durham, North Carolina

The Gray Dot Company, Tory Gray, Asheville, North Carolina

Silver Cascades, Rebecca KIng, Weaverville, North Carolina

Union Special, Andrew Ullom, Raleigh, North Carolina

VaVaVooom LLC, Lisa Genevieve Ziemer, Asheville, North Carolina

The Wedding Exchange, Wendy Clark, Durham, North Carolina

Carpe Diem Cleaning, Madeline Bailey, Durham, North Carolina

Hand in Hand Wedding Coordinations, Ellory Shields, Cary, North Carolina

Media Group, Michael Binder, Durham, North Carolina