West Alabama Chamber Working on Aid for Local Businesses

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama is urgently working to find local, municipal, state and federal relief for Tuscaloosa area businesses that are being heavily impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus.

In a conference call with area business leaders Tuesday afternoon, Chamber President Jim Page said he and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox are both working to secure financial aid for small businesses, especially bars and restaurants, at all levels of government and from local donors.

Page and Maddox said more information on what that will look like will be available in the next 10-14 days.

In the meantime, the Chamber has launched a COVID-19 Resource Center on its website and populated it with tools to aid those who are impacted by concerns over the spread of the virus.

There, visitors can find resources for displaced employees, impacted businesses, tips for working from home and ways to support local business even as area bars and restaurants are closed for on-site dining and drinking for the next seven days.

"There are smart, responsible things we can do to keep our economy working and keep our small businesses afloat," Page said.

Check out the Chamber's website and stay tuned to this site and station for more COVID-19 news as it becomes available.

You can hear Page's comments in their entirety during the Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa Town Hall broadcast that kicks off on all eight of our radio stations and streams at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

That audio will also be added to this story after it is processed.