Dear Members:
Taking to the streets in protest is the right of every American citizen, while looting, arson and violence are acts of criminals, even when thinly veiled under the guise of genuine public outrage. Standing in the face of a police officer, shouting insults and flipping (what in my youthful days was referred to as) the double bird is designed to incite a response, not advance public discourse. Let’s follow the non-violent preaching of The Reverend Martin Luther King. Enough said.
Restore Illinois Phase 3
Prior to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker release of industry-specific guidelines to assist with the safe re-opening of businesses as the state enters Phase 3 of his five-phase Restore Illinois plan, chambers of commerce statewide collaborated on task forces and solicited information from their hundreds of thousands of business members to provide input on these guidelines.
In fact, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) consulted with more than 200 businesses, industry leaders, chambers of commerce, industry associations and trade representatives to consider unique aspects and operations.
With thousands of people returning to work this past weekend in the numerous non-essential industries—retail, offices, manufacturing, barbershops and salons, summer programs, various outdoor recreation activities and bars and restaurants for outdoor dining—it was imperative that all voices in Illinois were heard.
“We appreciate that the results of our task forces were able to influence these vital state-level decisions,” said Lisa Weitzel, President of the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE). “Those task forces, comprising chief executives from chambers across Illinois, were created to address needed state-wide solutions. Chambers are the local experts on their business community and are in a frontline effort to understand how best to safely and responsibly re-open their community’s businesses.”
Since March, our Chamber has worked diligently, tirelessly and safety to advocate on behalf of our more than 500 members to assure that federal, state and local agencies and elected officials understand the economic damage that COVID-19 and the related public policy responses have inflicted on the Elmhurst business community in general and our members in particular.
For more than a century, chambers of commerce have served as advocates for the business community, with ECCI celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2018. Chambers tackle issues and trends taking place in their communities, offering resources and services to help businesses succeed.
During these unprecedented times—when the economy was hit hard as a result of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic—chambers came together to present solutions and offer guidance on the simultaneous economic crisis.
For example, ECCI created a special “Dine Out” From Home website page to promote some 90 Elmhurst restaurants and bars providing patrons via curbside pick-up, walk-in takeout, drive-thru and/or delivery service.
In its role as a business educator, ECCI posted regular updates on federal and state financial assistance programs available to small businesses and not-for-profit organizations on our Chamber website’s home page, and via our Facebook and Twitter pages social media pages.
ECCI also has used Facebook and Twitter to shine a spotlight on the good deeds of numerous Chamber members, including promoting the efforts of essential businesses and encouraging e-commerce patronage of our non-essential small businesses.
In addition to industry-specific guidelines, IDCEO and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) developed a common set of standards all businesses must follow. Those standards include the required use of face coverings, social distancing, and informational signage on site, among other preventative measures.
Near Record Unemployment
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 15 percent of America’s workforce was unemployed by the end May—second only to the Great Depression’s 24.9 percent in 1933—as the number of workers who filed for Unemployment Insurance (UI) compensation rose to nearly 41 million nationally and more than one million here in Illinois. Of those numbers, furloughed restaurant and food service employees account for more than 11 million nationally (out of the first 22 million newly unemployed) and more than 500,000 statewide.
The restaurant and food service industry employs a non-governmental-body-high of 15.6 million workers nationally, according to the National Restaurant Association, and some 590,000 workers statewide, according to the Illinois Restaurant Association.
Happy Anniversary
One member is celebrating a Chamber anniversary in June as follows: 5 years—Eva Sanchez, See Your House Right Here, @properties Elmhurst.
New Members
The Chamber welcomed one new member in May as follows: Innovation DuPage.
Reactivated Member
First Congregational United Church of Christ reactivated its Chamber membership.
Dropped Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following 13 members in May: Allstate Insurance (Jack Grigat), Bloom Organizing, Code Ninjas, Elmhurst Neighbors & Newcomers Club, Ernie’s Automotive, Harmony Coaching, Main Street Candy & Toys, Market Table & Events, New York Life Insurance Company, PNC Bank, Prescription Wellness, Starvel Family Dentistry and State Senator Suzy Glowiak.