Your Chamber at Work - May 18, 2020
May 18, 2020
FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO
You can help other Chamber members by sharing your reopening plans with them. Email them to info@kcchamber.com and we’ll post them on our Coronavirus Resources page on our website. The Chamber is finalizing our plan (we plan a gradual reopening of our Union Station office beginning June 1) and we’ll post our plan there, too, once we’ve presented it to staff.
You can also use our Safe Return KC Guide as a reference as you develop your plan for re-entry. We’re also happy to schedule a presentation on the plan for you – just reach out to our Employer Help Desk.
On a topic that is non-COVID related, the KC Chamber has been working with dozens of other organizations for the past 18 months to develop a “Welcoming Plan” for the Greater Kansas City area.
The goal is to make our region a welcoming community for immigrants, refugees, and the underserved and vulnerable. Our greatest asset is our people – and that no matter what your background or where you’re from – Greater Kansas City is stronger when we all have an opportunity to contribute and succeed.
The plan is still in draft form and we’re eager for feedback. If your business or organization would like to have a presentation on the plan, please contact the Chamber’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion Greg Valdovino. And thank you!
COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE
The KC Chamber, Union Station, Kansas City Area Development Council, and the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City are partnering with the Community Blood Center (CBC) for a three-day community blood drive, Mary 27-29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in our Chamber Board Room on the first floor of Union Station, next door to Pierpont’s. As businesses return to the workplace and hospitals anticipate the return of elective surgeries, the CBC has an urgent call for donors. This blood drive will be by appointment only; no walk-ins. Register below for an appointment during the following dates:
The CBC is taking precautions for your safety: masks are required, staff will check temperatures at the door and follow social distancing protocols. If you feel sick, don’t go to your appointment. Click here for more information on the CBC’s response and safety protocol during COVID-19. Also, the CBC is looking for other businesses and organizations with a large indoor space for social distancing who would be interested in hosting a community blood drive. Please email bast@kcchamber.com if you’d like more information and we would be happy to connect you!
WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH: CONTINUE THE CHAT
Not everyone has returned to their workplace, but that doesn’t mean employers can’t focus on workplace mental health. About six months after the KC Chamber and Healthy KC launched the Workplace Mental Health Assessment, the results are more important than ever. Join Healthy KC and Nancy Spangler, President of Spangler and Associates, on Wednesday, May 20 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. to hear the full results of the Workplace Mental Health Assessment. Healthy KC launched the assessment in November (which feels like a lifetime ago) to get a better look at kinds of mental health resources KC businesses offer, and to help others implement resources for the first time. Hear from local businesses as they share their own success stories and best practices. Register here to continue the chat.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE: EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
How can the KC business community transform to build a more resilient region facing the impacts of climate change? Join Climate Action KC and the Mid-America Regional Council for “Climate Resilience: Everyone’s Business” on May 21 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. This webinar gives an overview of two analyses of the region’s Climate Action Plan: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment. Register here.
CHILD CARE RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS
What does your childcare situation look like as KC goes back to the workplace? If you’re the owner of a child care center (or you know one), what kind of help is needed? Families will need access to child care if we want our community to return successfully. Take the child care assessment needs survey now. Mid-America Regional Council, and The Family Conservancy developed the survey to get a better idea of the needs of families across Greater KC. Child care providers welcoming kids back will also need help. The KC Chamber is here to help providers work through the loan and grant application process, facilitate relationships with lenders, and help you understand exactly federal and local resources are available. Providers should contact Danielle Isbell at isbell@kcchamber.com for help.