Chamber members step up during the coronavirus outbreak

Seattle Metro Chamber members represent 2,600 companies and a regional workforce of approximately 750,000. Across every industry, our members are addressing the myriad ways the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected our community and our economy. How Chamber members are stepping up to support our community during this difficult time

We're monitoring this rapidly evolving situation closely and we'll be updating this list as things change. If you have news to add to this list, please tag us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram so we can see what you're doing or contact Corinne Lumens at corinnel@seattlechamber.com.

Conducting Research and Advancing Testing 

• The University of Washington virology lab develops a COVID-19 test to combat the national shortage of diagnostic tests
• The University of Washington partners with King County Public Health to create SCAN - a coronavirus monitoring program based on home-test kits
• How UW Medicine rose to the challenge
• Fred Hutch and Amazon collaborate on the CovidWatch study targeting front-line workers most at risk from the coronavirus
• QFC, Fred Meyer, City of Seattle Government, and Seattle Mariners partner to host free Covid-19 drive-thru testing at T-Mobile Park through the end of May
• Gates Foundation funded program will soon offer home-testing kits for new coronavirus
• Fred Hutch developed a resource hub that shares new research developments

Supporting Small Businesses 

• Stoel Rives has launched a Main Street Relief Project, a no-cost legal service for independent restaurants, bars, and retail establishments in the communities where the firm has offices

• Google OnAir offers free virtual workshops, events, and 1:1 coaching sessions to help small businesses and jobseekers get the most out of their digital tools

• Amazon has quietly started a free delivery service for restaurants housed in its buildings

• Ballard Alliance, The Alliance for Pioneer Square and the Capitol Hill Business Association are all sponsoring the Support Local platforms to help their small businesses survive the current economic situation

• City of Seattle announces new #SupportSeattleSmallBiz map to help residents find small businesses providing takeout or delivery in their neighborhoods

• Verizon's Pay It Forward Live! show airs on Tuesdays and Thursdays to increase support for small business and also provide relief to historically under-invested businesses
• Intentionalist has created a Gift Card Marketplace for independent businesses that don’t have an online presence

• The Washington Tourism Alliance has set up this new platform called showWAlove.com where any tourism-related business in Washington with an online gift card can get a free listing. They've also partnered with Kabbage, so any small business who wants an online gift card can quickly and easily set one up.

• Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area, Friends of Little Saigon, and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority support CID Restaurants and other Small Businesses Relief Fund
• Piroshky Piroshky owner Olga Sagan rolls out free delivery site for Seattle businesses
• Facebook announced $100 million in cash grants and credits
• Intentionalist is building a crowdsource list of small businesses to support
• GSBA and Capitol Hill BIA hold a press conference about Facing an outbreak ‘tsunami,’ Capitol Hill’s restaurants and small business make call for support, ideas, and relief
• Amazon to grant $5 million to small businesses near its headquarters struggling due to coronavirus. See FAQs and application directions here. 
• Intentionalist recommends 10 ways you can help support small businesses in need
• Piroshky Piroshky, Dicks Drive In Restaurants, Pagliacci Pizza, Starbucks and other Seattle Restaurants Pull Out All the Stops to Calm Diners’ Coronavirus Fears

Supporting Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Delivery

• Alaska Airlines flies medical workers to fight COVID-19
• Expedia Group's Egencia started their Helping Healthcare travel program to make it hassle-free for healthcare providers to secure lodging while safely distancing from their families or traveling to impacted areas
• Seattle Goodwill supports City of Seattle's efforts to distribute PPE to first responders and front-line workers
• Dick's Drive-In donated 48,000+ burgers to hospital staff, first responders
• The Boeing Company ships out first batch of 3D-printed face shields
• Amazon donating $5 million in devices globally
• Mariners and Bloodworks Northwest to host blood drive at T-Mobile Park to aid medical community during coronavirus outbreak
• Alaska Airlines rushes mask materials to healthcare workers treating COVID-19
• Plastic Sales & Service answered the call to innovate and is now producing face shields, intubation enclosures, & sneeze guards to help reduce the risk of infection to healthcare workers and those in other service industries
• GardnerGlobal sources critical N95 masks through their international network
• Verizon teams on the frontlines with COVID-19 first responders 
• Airbnb is partnering with their hosts to connect 100,000 healthcare providers, relief workers, and first responders with clean, convenient places to stay 
• The Boeing Company is offering their Dreamlifter cargo plane to transport critical and urgently needed supplies and will be producing face shields using their 3D printing machines
• Microsoft brings medical supplies from overseas to aid in state's coronavirus fight
• Starbucks is giving free coffee to first responders and healthcare workers during the coronavirus outbreak
• The Herbfarm is using their kitchen to food hospital workers
• Amazon will also prioritize medical supplies and household goods for shipment
• Uber pledges free food delivered to medical providers

Slowing the Spread and Supporting Employees  

• Microsoft is giving workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave because of school disruptions 
• Starbucks established a $10 million (USD) Starbucks Global Partner Emergency Relief Program to support employees around the world impacted by COVID-19
• Verizon offers enhanced pay for essential on-site employees
• REI retail stores closing until March 27 and all employees from their stores will be paid during this temporary closure
• Starbucks switches to a "to-go" model in the U.S. and Canada for at least two weeks, temporarily closes stores in high social-gathering locations and in areas with high levels of community spread. It also adds $10 million to its Caring Unites Partners fund to support employee needs beyond pay and temporarily expands its back-up childcare program
• Starbucks offers access to catastrophe pay and benefits that support partners' physical and mental health: Navigating through COVID-19

Supporting Vulnerable Employees and Community Members

• Starbucks contributes the communities they serve through Neighborhood Grants focused on hunger insecurity, housing and homelessness, & supporting families and seniors—including 26 individual grants across Washington!
• Bank of America commits $100 million—including $2 million to 14 Puget Sound organizations—to a global coronavirus community relief effort which addresses food insecurity, housing assistance, and more
• Adobe commits $4.5 million trusted organizations that are providing vital assistance to our neighbors – locally and globally
• JPMorgan Chase makes $50 million philanthropic investment to help address immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19
• Bartell Drugs lends a hand to seniors during COVID-19 with their Senior Supply Drive and expands their annual teddy bear drive to include a wide range of organizations
  
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will spend $3.7 million on Seattle-area coronavirus response
• Seattle Foundation, Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Alaska Airlines, and United Way contribute to $2M fund started to help gig workers, vulnerable populations affected by coronavirus in Seattle area
• Amazon to give up to two weeks of pay to employees out sick with coronavirus or in quarantine
• Google sets up fund offer paid sick leave to contractors and temp workers who can't work due to COVID-19 symptoms or quarantines
• Expedia will continue to pay hourly workers during the coronavirus outbreak
• Microsoft to pay service workers during coronavirus outbreak even as need for them drops
• Amazon, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Salesforce, and Uber join a growing chorus of tech companies paying hourly and wage workers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak

Supporting Education at Home

• AT&T supports families and educators during school closures and social distancing
  
• Amazon donates 8,200 laptops to Seattle Public School families
  

Providing Reliable Data 

• Pacific Science Center is sharing links and resources that we’ve found useful in understanding COVID-19
• Tableau provides trusted Coronavirus (COVID-19) data on their COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Data Resource Hub

Addressing Food Insecurity 

• QFC, Fred Meyer, and KIRO 7 have partnered with Food Lifeline for Together Against Hunger, a virtual food drive
• Alaska Airlines launches #MillionMealsChallenge to feed families left hungry by coronavirus 
• FareStart is massively upping its game to feed those newly in need
• Gourmondo and Amazon partner to prepare and deliver catered meals for 2,700 seniors and people with disabilities in public housing run by Seattle and King County housing authorities
• WA Food Fund is raising money to provide food and supplies for those in need during the COVID-19 crisis, including the elderly, people who struggle with health issues or have lost their jobs, and children who normally rely on school for meals 

  Our neighbors are going hungry during this crisis and we can help

• Verizon has donated $5 Million to No Kid Hungry to support vulnerable children affected by school closures
• T-Mobile shares the steps they are taking to navigate the COVID-19 outbreak including donating up to $500,000 to Feeding America and $100,000 to the Seattle Foundation’s COVID-19 Respond Fund. They will also match employee donations to these efforts 2:1

Connecting You to Arts, Culture, & Science

• Pacific Science Center provides parents, educators, and others with The Curiosity at Home, valuable curiosity-inspiring education for our kids during this time at home
• ArtsFund created the COVID-19 Arts Emergency Relief Fund to help stabilize the sector with immediate relief grants for arts organizations negatively impacted by COVID-19
• Seattle Art Museum invites you to enjoy art from your home
• Visit the Burke Museum from home with activities and resources for all ages
• Seattle Symphony Announces Free Video Broadcasts and Livestreams

Utility Relief and Expanded Services 

• AT&T, Comcast and Verizon extend no late fee, termination policies through June 30.
• CenturyLink committed to waive late fees and to not terminate a residential or small business customer’s service due to financial circumstances associated with COVID-19
• Verizon is tripling data allowance for Verizon Innovative Learning schools and committing $10 million to nonprofits directed at supporting students and first responder healthcare workers
• Comcast announces Comprehensive COVID-19 Response to Help Keep Americans Connected to the Internet and immediate steps to help connect low-income families to the Internet at home
• Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light work to keep customers’ lights, water on during coronavirus emergency
• Wells Fargo will allow individuals to obtain Money Orders free of charge during the closure of all public-facing service counters
• Puget Sound Energy helps customers with their utility bills with their COVID-19 Response