For nearly all of us managing these unprecedented times, it’s easy to get away from our normal routines and go-to comforts. Among our many daily challenges is staying connected to the things we have built our incredible communities upon. As such, we must make an extra effort to support each other, our neighbors and the many establishments that make up the fabric of our community.

It’s no secret New York’s small businesses are reeling during the mandated stay-at-home orders. Recent polling shows 92 percent of New York’s small businesses have already been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m calling on New Yorkers to show their collective strength and step up for those who need the most support.

Consider ways you can help those still operating during this health crisis. So many of our neighbors have modified their operations to withstand the impact of this pandemic – from curb-side pickups, to extended delivery services. Let’s do our part to thank them for continuing to serve us and patronize the small businesses doing everything they can to stay afloat.

To find out which small businesses and restaurants in our area you can help at this time, visit the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce http://www.oswegofultonchamber.com/. Jefferson County-area locations are available at https://www.newzjunky.com/takeout/, and a listing for Onondaga County can be viewed at https://cnycentral.com/news/open-cny/restaurants-breweries-onondaga-county.

Small businesses and restaurants continuing to operate under these conditions not only help us maintain critical community connections, but they are also sustaining the frontline workers in the field maintaining necessary infrastructure and fighting this virus across New York. The need for food, protective materials and essential services has not gone away with the introduction of COVID-19. In many ways, those services are needed now more than ever. Protecting the small business community is vital to protecting our frontline workers.

WORKING ON NEW WAYS TO HELP

To help offset the hardships caused by COVID-19, the Assembly Minority Conference has put together plans to assist working families, small businesses and job creators. One such effort is the “Small Business Emergency Recovery Act of 2020,” which is designed to provide immediate assistance to small businesses and employees attempting to mitigate the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. Further, we have introduced the “Jump-Start New York” initiative, to provide economic relief to the 608,351 small businesses that employ more than half of our state’s workforce.

There is much work to do, and it will not be easy. In order to make the long road ahead a little more manageable, I’m asking all New Yorkers to reflect on how they might be able to help now, before we fully reopen the nation. Everything we do now will have an exponential impact later. New Yorkers have always had each other’s backs, and now, more than ever, we must come together to keep New York strong.

If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 200 North Second Street, Fulton, New York 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or on Twitter at @WillABarclay.