UPDATE: New Changes to the Hillsborough County Order for Facial Coverings

Dear Valued Members,   We want to share with you some recent changes to the current ordinance in Hillsborough County requiring facial coverings. Over the past several weeks, the South Tampa Chamber has been advocating on your behalf to make sure businesses owners are protected, and not penalized, for individuals who are non-compliant. Read our letter here.   Today, in the regularly scheduled meeting for the Emergency Policy Group, the following changes were made to the Hillsborough County Executive

Veterinary Emergency Group's ''VEGolution Day''

VEGolution Day   On June 30th, 2020 we proclaimed the “VEGolution Day”.Which means, 100% of our sales dollars that day would be given to charity. We were able to raise $133,000 dollars 50% was given to each of our nearly 300 full-time VEGgies to give to a charity of their choice (from women's mental health to saving the oceans... we will be helping a great variety of causes dear to our employees' hearts) and the other 50% was given to VEG Cares that partners with the non-profit Veterinary Care

MOSI / PathO3Gen Solutions Create First Of Its Kind Partnership To Increase Sanitation And Safety For Attraction Venue Guests

MOSI / PathO3Gen Solutions Create First Of Its Kind Partnership To Increase Sanitation And Safety For Attraction Venue Guests Tampa, Florida – As of June 16th, 2020 MOSI is the only science center in the nation utilizing patented combination of Ozone + UVCtechnology as part of its safety plan for guests and employees, in combating COVID-19.  MOSI has placed the St. Petersburg, FL based - PathO3Gen Solutions (patho3gen.com) UVZone shoe sanitizing station at the entrance to the exhibit path to ensure

July 3 Update: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update - July 3  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of July 2, DEO has paid 1,626,991  claimants a total of $8.7 billion ($8,703,066,112).  UPDATES: Governor Ron DeSantis has directed DEO to continue waiving the work search and work registration requirements for claimants through August

One Tampa: Relief Now, Rise Together Phase III for Businesses

In order to expand One Tampa’s relief efforts to reach more businesses, the City of Tampa is launching Phase III of the relief program. Businesses that are considered critically impacted can qualify. Businesses do not have to be located in a low-income-census-tract or CRA zone like in previous phases. One Tampa has been funded via a combination of philanthropic donations, community redevelopment funds, and federal dollars. At the completion of Phase III, the City of Tampa will have distributed over $4

City of Tampa Purchases Clear Face Masks to Improve Accessibility During COVID-19

City of Tampa Purchases Clear Face Masks to Improve Accessibility During COVID-19  Tampa, Florida (July 2, 2020)--In an effort to improve communication accessibility while supporting the use of face coverings, the City of Tampa has purchased clear face masks for staff members who engage in frequent, direct contact with the community.  Individuals with hearing loss or communication challenges rely on the context of a situation, facial expressions, and the movement of the speaker’s lips to understand the

Hillsborough County Face Covering Ordinance Business Toolkit

Hillsborough County's Emergency Policy Group (EPG) enacted an order requiring that face coverings be worn inside businesses open to the public. The order applies to everyone, including customers and employees, inside businesses where social distancing cannot be maintained, with some exceptions. A full list of exemptions can be found within the order, and a list of frequently asked questions is available on the County website. To help your businesses enforce the new ordinance, we have prepared a digital

Call Out for 1 Million Cups Future Presenters!

1 Million Cups provides an amazing platform for entrepreneurs, 5 years or less in business, who are interested in connecting to the entrepreneur community and growing their business venture.  The audience typically consists of fellow entrepreneurs, community leaders and entrepreneur support organizations, all who are willing to assist in the start or growth of their business.   Many past presenters have utilized the feedback provided during their presentation, and moved forward with great success.  We

UPDATE: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) released Amended EO2020-09

July 1, 2020 - Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) released an Amended Emergency Order 2020-09 to amend and clarify operating restrictions for bars and restaurants set forth in Emergency Order 2020-09, which was issued on Friday, June 26.   The Amended order states the following: 1. Vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, but not licensed to offer food service, shall suspend sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption on

CareerSource Tampa Bay to distribute $21.5 Million to Hillsborough County Job Seekers and Businesses

CareerSource Tampa Bay to distribute $21.5 Million to Hillsborough County Job Seekers and Businesses  ~Rapid Response Recovery program (R3) Kicks Off July 1, 2020~   TAMPA, FL – CareerSource Tampa Bay (CSTB) kicked off the Rapid Response Recovery (R3) program that will help Hillsborough County job seekers with occupational skills training and find businesses skilled labor.   The R3 program is funded through the Federal Cares Act with funding released by the Hillsborough Board of County

“The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act” to Remove Unnecessary Barriers to Employment

Governor Ron DeSantis Signs “The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act” to Remove Unnecessary Barriers to Employment  Regulatory reforms will bring significant cost and time savings for aspiring professionals in Florida  Tallahassee, Fla. –Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed “The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act” (HB 1193) which eliminates barriers of entry to certain professions licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DPBR) by adding endorsement and

Cubix Inc. can provide a sanitization solution to help give you peace of mind

In the wake of the coronavirus, Cubix Inc can provide a disinfectant solution to give your customers and employees peace of mind that you are doing due diligence to protect their environment. Electrostatic Fogging applies chemical to improve infectious disease control by applying chemical in a efficient controlled manor reducing down time and effective with hard to reach areas. Our process reduces the time it takes to cover and disinfect all surfaces by 50% while killing 99.9% of noroviruses and

June 26 Update: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update - June 26  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of June 25, DEO has paid 1,558,398 claimants a total of $7.76 billion ($7,764,195,045).  UPDATES: Starting Monday, July 6, the request to modify the date of your claim must be made by calling the Reemployment Assistance Customer

Executive Order from Department of Business & Professional Regulation

June 26, 2020: Effective immediately, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide. This does not apply to restaurants or hotels.Read the full order here. For the purpose of this order they are defining a BAR as a business that derives more than 50% of gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages. Vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers to be consumed off premise. Please take a moment

Hillsborough Launches Online Registration for COVID-19 Testing

 Hillsborough Launches Online Registration for COVID-19 Testing Hillsborough County, Fla. (June 25, 2020) –Hillsborough County residents can now make appointments online for free COVID-19 coronavirus testing. Online appointments can be made at hcflgov.net/covidtesting. Residents can pick a day and time convenient to them at one of seven locations throughout the county. The online reservation system will allow residents to avoid waiting on the phone for a call center agent and should reduce the time

Brimmer, Burek & Keelan, LLP Announce New Partners

BayCare Helps Businesses Get Back to Work from COVID-19

To protect the health and well-being of the community, BayCare is helping local businesses reopen safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. BayCare, which operates 15 hospitals and hundreds of other health care locations in Tampa Bay and central Florida, is providing businesses with consultants doing on-site safe-work assessments, return to work evaluations for employees, COVID testing and antibody testing. BayCare has worked with companies ranging from 15 to 100 employees. There is a fee for the

CareerSource Tampa Bay teams up with Senator Janet Cruz for Annual Job Fair

Job Fair dedicated to Floridians looking for employment opportunities.   TAMPA, FL – Many Floridians throughout the state have found themselves unemployed due to the  COVID-19 pandemic. If you are among the Floridians who is currently unemployed please save Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 on your calendar, for it is when Senator Janet Cruz will be hosting her free annual Job Fair.   Senator Janet Cruz’s job fair will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Higgins Hall – located at 5225 N. Himes Ave,

Rubio, Cruz, Scott Introduce Bill to Expand PPP Eligibility to Chambers of Commerce

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, joined U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Tim Scott (R-SC) to introduce a bill to expand Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) eligibility to local chambers of commerce, which provide valuable resources to small businesses across the country, and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), which play an important role in creating a vibrant tourism industry. Read the full text of the

Mayor Castor Announces FREE Face Covering Pickup Locations

In an effort to prioritize public safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19, Mayor Jane Castor has issued any executive order mandating the use of face coverings for all individuals in the City of Tampa while indoors and unable to maintain 6ft of distance. Exceptions to this order (include children under the age of 2 and individuals with existing health conditions) can be found at tampagov.net/COVID-19.   “The data is unquestionable: if we wear masks, we can stop the spread of this virus—that’s the bottom

June 19th Update: City of Tampa Mask Ordinance | Hillsborough County CARES Funding | PPE & Supplies

Dear Valued Members, I hope that your week has been filled with some bright spots as we move through this transitional season into a time of recovery. We have a lot of new information to share with you as we close this work week. We have also added several new resources to our COVID19 Resources Page and our Business Recovery Resources Page.  City of Tampa Mask Ordinance: Effective at 5pm on Friday, June 19, 2020, every person working, living, visiting, or doing business in the City of Tampa shall wear

STCOC Military Affairs Update - June 2020

STCOC Military Affairs Committee,  Thank you to the members who were able to join us on June 9th for our MAC Meeting. Click here to see notes and slides from the June Meeting. Note, we will not have a July meeting and look forward to reconvening the committee on August 11th.June Meeting Recap: At this month’s meeting, discussion was had as to how we can better utilize the Chamber’s website to connect with our military partners. If your business offers a military discount, you are invited to post your

CareerSource Tampa Bay launches new web based job search training software

CareerSource Tampa Bay launches new web based job search training software Website will provide video training and other valuable job seeking programs  TAMPA, FL – Career Source Tampa Bay, the regions workforce development board is launching an innovative as way to provide virtual service and engagement to unemployed job seekers in Hillsborough County who were impacted as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. CSTB has contracted with Career EDGE, a web-based platform to deliver virtual career services to

Hillsborough County Small Businesses Grant Funding (R3 Economic Recovery Financial Assistance)

R3 Economic Recovery Financial Assistance   Hillsborough County has an Economic Recovery financial assistance program to assist local small businesses economically damaged by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. All available program information is available at HCFLGov.net/R3Biz.  Business owners can apply for one of three programs:Kickstart Small Business - up to $10,000 in working capital; for businesses with up to $3 million in annual revenueBack to Work - up to $2,000 per employee in payroll incentives

June 16th Update: New PPP Guidance | New SBA Funding for Small Business | New Safety Resources

Dear Valued Members,   Whew! This week is off to a busy start! New information continues to become available every day and we will continue to keep you updated with timely, vetted updates as we receive them. Here are a few things you need to know this week...NEW on the Chamber Website: Check out the Hillsborough County Scorecard now available and easy to access on the STCOC Website @ https://www.southtampachamber.org/hillsborough-county-scorecard The Florida Scorecard™ is a dynamic online tool that

June 16th Update: SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Program Reopened to All Eligible Small Businesses

SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Advance Program Reopened to All Eligible Small Businesses and Non-Profits Impacted by COVID-19 PandemicWASHINGTON – To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and non-profits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19 today.“The SBA is strongly committed to working around the clock, providing dedicated

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update - June 12

 Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Provides Reemployment Assistance Update - June 12   TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued reemployment assistance updates on the Reemployment Assistance (RA) Claims Dashboard. As of June 11, DEO has paid 1,362,224 claimants a total of nearly $5.32 billion ($5,319,881,577).  UPDATES:Governor Ron DeSantis has directed DEO to continue waiving the work search and work registration requirements for claimants

Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Recommendations to Safely Reopen Florida’s Education System

Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Recommendations to Safely Reopen Florida’s Education System Maximizes CARES funding to close achievement gaps and provide safe environments Melbourne, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced recommendations for local communities to consider as they finalize plans to re-open safe and healthy schools that are set up for success. This plan outlines the nearly $475 million in state directed education financial assistance provided to Florida

Saint Leo University Offering Free, 4-Part Webinar Series: Business Reimagined

Saint Leo University Offering Free, 4-Part Webinar Series: Business ReimaginedCollege of Business Faculty, Tampa-area Experts to Help Businesses Recover from COVID-19 Pandemic Economic Woes   ST. LEO, FL – Businesses are navigating the re-opening of the economy following shutdowns prompted by the COVID-19 pandemics. To assist those facing challenges and looking for new opportunities, Saint Leo University will a free, four-part webinar series, Business Reimagined: Business Reimagined: Insights for Small

South Tampa Chamber Open for Business Toolkit

 The South Tampa Chamber continues to be an advocate and partner for our local business community. As many businesses are beginning to re-open or expand your services, we have put together these easy step-by-step guides to celebrate your re-opening and engage your current (and potential) customers. In this toolkit you will find: 5 Steps to Open Your BusinessHow to Activate Your MembershipSocial Media Banner GraphicPrintable Signs for Your BusinessCustomizable Safety SignHow to Host a Facebook Live

New COVID Tracker Shows Hillsborough & Pinellas Counties Reopen Readiness

 Free County-by-County Online COVID-19 Tracker Shows if Your County is Trending in the Right Direction – the Analyses is Updated Daily  TALLAHASSEE, FL (May 11,2020) – The Florida Chamber Foundation’s new daily COVID-19 Tracker shows that Hillsborough County and Pinellas County are moving in the right direction when it comes to meeting important White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again.   This free COVID-19 Tracker is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on www.TheFloridaScorecard.org and

Non-Profit Guide: Needs Due To COVID-19

Many individuals within the community are looking for volunteer or donation opportunities in response to the COVID-19 crisis.   Here is a list of local non-profit businesses that are looking for help during this time: Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research Lions Eye Institute is in a Fight for Sight! They have established a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund that will: • Ensure we can continue to recover and prepare tissue for emergency cornea surgeries. • Bridge the financial gap in this

STCOC Virtual Meeting Recordings

Introducing Virtual Programming! We are excited to introduce our new virtual programming via Zoom! While we may not be able to currently meet face to face, we still want to provide valuable connection and education opportunities for our members.Visit our YouTube Channel to view recent virtual events!Visit our online calendar to see a full list of upcoming virtual events! ​It is recommended that you sign up and familiarize yourself with the program prior to participating. Sign up for free @ www.zoom.us

Sign Up to be a Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Ambassador!

In 2021, the Super Bowl is set to return to the Tampa Bay community for the fifth time. As with all major events, the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, Tampa Bay Sports Commission and NFL will rely heavily on the volunteer and community support to help execute and elevate the overall event.  A large variety of volunteer shifts will be available throughout the championship week. Please click to sign up and receive volunteer information and event updates. The official Super Bowl LV Volunteer Registration site