Amazon looks to help small businesses affected by coronavirus
Amazon is creating a $5 million Neighbourhood Small Business Relief Fund, providing cash grants to companies impacted by the coronavirus outbreak in its hometown of Seattle.
This is intended for businesses with fewer than 50 employees or less than $7 million in annual revenue, physical presence within a few blocks of the e-commerce giant’s Regrade and South Lake Union office buildings, that are open to the general public, and that are reliant on foot traffic for customers.
Amazon recently said it would continue to pay its hourly employees as its work from home policies were in effect. It also said it was subsidising rent for businesses inside the buildings it owns. So it arguably has some responsibility here. When its employees are directed to stay at home, the surrounding economy (including hundreds of restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops and retailers) suffers.
“As we all adapt to the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, we know that we have an important role to play in keeping our employees and residents safe and healthy, and in supporting the local businesses that are our neighbours,” says John Schoettler, Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities at Amazon.
“This is a difficult time in our city, and we will continue to try to work with our community to get through it together.
