New resource page includes information about financial support for workers and businesses, food relief programs, volunteer opportunities and more
SEATTLE (March 23, 2020) – To help communities significantly impacted by COVID-19 in Seattle, the City of Seattle created a new centralized website where residents can find information about relief programs offered by the City, the County and the State. This site pulls together resources for workers, artists, small businesses, non-profits, parents, homeowners, and community members to make it easier for City of Seattle residents to find assistance during this unprecedented public health crisis. You can visit the statewide website here.
“We know families and small business are already hurting as we grapple with the full effects of COVID-19 and critical preventative measures. To help reduce the impact of this outbreak on our communities, the city has been working on a number of unprecedented efforts as it relates to housing assistance, meals, and small businesses,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “We know there must be additional resources from federal and state government to help provide help for businesses and families. In order to maximize these resources in our community, we’ve launched this site to serve as a hub of all tools available to working families and businesses during this challenging time.”
Currently, the site contains information about programs related to healthcare, food, utilities (including electricity, water, sewer, garbage, and internet), unemployment benefits, tax deferment, home education, small business stabilization, and more. The Mayor’s Office also plans to roll out an interactive map for small businesses as part of the City’s #SupportSeattleSmallBiz campaign in the near future. As more resources become available, the site will be updated.
The launch of the site builds on a list of actions the Mayor has taken to address the growing needs of City residents. Over the past week, Mayor Durkan has implemented a series of actions including, deferring utility payments and a temporary moratorium on residential evictions, to provide relief for working people financially impacted by COVID-19. For small businesses, she announced a relief package that included deferred business taxes and a stabilization fund.
Mayor Durkan continues to advocate for a comprehensive small business and worker relief package from Congress to provide immediate and lasting relief to Seattle communities impacted by COVID-19, and the City is working quickly to scale new programs.
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