Today I participated in multiple calls that included Governor McMaster, representatives from SC Department of Employment & Workforce (DEW), Small Business Administration (SBA), SC Chamber of Commerce, US Chamber of Commerce, US Chamber Foundation, and Senator Tim Scott's office. Here are a couple of takeaways from these calls:

• SBA is offering economic disaster loans to small businesses; South Carolina is currently not listed as eligible for these loans but should be added soon. Once SC is officially included, I will send out additional information on how to apply.
• The Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and SCORE representatives are available for counseling and assistance. Go to the SBDC website to get phone numbers for nearby locations and get connected to the appropriate person to offer assistance.
• The US and SC Chambers are making requests to their respective governments to enact laws or procedures that will help businesses; one example is the announcement from Governor McMaster regarding state sales tax. As additional adjustments are made, we will communicate those to you.

We will continue to gather and share information regularly so check back daily and also see additional resources and information on the Chamber's coronavirus website.