ORANGE PARK – Small business owners are struggling everywhere. In Clay County, cancellations and postponements of significant events like the county fair and RiverFest celebration, as well as the closure of the Orange Park Mall, have impacted not only small business owners but their employees as well. All are left looking for answers to the many questions raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and all the governmental orders (stay-at-home, etc.) with which it’s associated.

The Washington Prime Group, the owner of the Orange Park Mall, understands that and is doing their best to help.

“I spend a lot of time outside in Clay County working with community leaders and community officials,” said Randy Bowman, the General Manager of Orange Park Mall. “I personally sit on the board of directors for the Clay County Chamber of Commerce. We’re constantly figuring out what’s missing in the county and what we can bring to the county.

“When COVID-19 struck, it was a big hit to every industry out there. It’s a game-changer. We’re in this together with all of our tenants, especially our small businesses.”

The core of the tenants in Washington Prime Group properties are small businesses. Many of them are month-to-month in their finances between paying their bills and employees. The WPG had a desire to bring resources to small businesses.

One of the things it did was to set up the Open for Small Business Initiative portal, which helps to bring resources to those small business owners. The portal offers correct and concise information that they will need to get through the tough times that lay ahead.

There are many sources of information out there that can be accessed, but some may differ in the information given, and sifting through them all can be a challenge. The Open For Small Business Initiative portal looks to streamline those issues by providing a single location for help.

Due to current high volume, calling a local bank or SBA (Small Business Association) can have a five-to-eight-hour window for a representative to contact the caller. Some business owners were among the first to apply for assistance and have yet to be contacted.

The goal is to put small businesses in a position where once things begin to get back to normal, that they will be able to reopen and get back to their usual business as quickly as possible.

The portal has links to several critical items such as webcasts, Q&As on various associated subjects, lease modification templates, Paycheck Protection Program and more. The portal can be found at: http://washingtonprime.com/open-for-small-business-initiative.