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Time is running out for Back to Business Grant funding

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Resume McHenry County Update!
Through our collaboration with McHenry County, we will continue to share important information on stimulus programs, COVID-19 updates, and where the county is opening up through Resume McHenry County Updates.
Please take a moment to scroll down to see new advancements this week as more and more are opening up in McHenry County. If MCEDC can be of any help, please call. Forward this email to your friends and family to help get the word out!

 

County touts disability hiring with MCRide transit service

McHenry County government on Friday morning joined mass transit officials to celebrate the start of National Disability Employment Awareness Month by touting the groundbreaking MCRide paratransit program. Click above to watch a 2-minute video of the ceremony!
On Jan. 1, McHenry County became the first collar county to make its Pace-partnered dial-a-ride program available anywhere in the county, but the COVID-19 pandemic – especially the capacity restrictions placed on mass transit – forced the McHenry County Division of Transportation to rethink any fanfare. But given that almost two-thirds of MCRide’s riders are seniors and people with disabilities, many of whom rely on MCRide for their employment, what better day to belatedly cut the ribbon than on the first day of a month to highlight the value and skills of workers with disabilities?
Seniors and individuals with disabilities can reserve their trips up to seven days in advance! The general public can reserve their trips two days in advance. Scheduling a ride is as easy and affordable; call 800-451-4599 (or use 711 for the Illinois Relay Service) to schedule a ride. Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Click here to learn more about MCRide and how easy it is to schedule trips.
Business owners and managers looking for ideas to observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month can find them at the Department of Labor website here. Besides traditional job sites that are open to everyone, people with disabilities have a job site all their own, called AbilityLinks, which can be found by clicking here.

 

Workforce Network hosting a disability job fair

The McHenry County Workforce Network has partnered with state and local agencies to ring in National Disability Employment Awareness Month with a disability job fair.
The free event, open to all job seekers with any type of disability, will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at the Shah Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry. Visitors must be masked to comply with state COVID-19 restrictions.
No pre-registration is necessary, so dress for success, bring copies of your resume, and be ready to network with county employers looking to hire you and enrich their workplaces with your talent.
Need resume help? Look no further than the free job skills resources offered by the Workforce Network, which you can learn about by visiting www.mchenrycountyworkforce.com. And if transportation is an issue, be sure to read the first article in this newsletter to learn about the MCRide paratransit service!
Thank you to McHenry County College, Stateline SHRM, the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Employment Security for working together to make this happen.

 

Student manufacturing job fair tomorrow night

Students (and their parents) interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing, industry and the trades are encouraged to attend a career expo just for them in McHenry tomorrow evening.
The Manufacturing, Trade and Industry Career Expo starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the McHenry High School Center for Science, Technology and Industry, 4724 W. Crystal Lake Road. Admission is free, but visitors must wear masks to comply with state COVID-19 restrictions.
McHenry County industries will promote their needs and educate students on their potential educational pathways that could benefit them as they seek careers. Parents are encouraged to come with their kids, and learn that there are good-paying jobs out there in rewarding careers that do not require going to college. Senior students will be able to apply for $1,000 in post-secondary tech scholarships!
Click on the 4-minute video above to watch some awesome highlights from a previous expo.
Thank you to McHenry County College, the McHenry County Workforce Network, the McHenry County Economic Development Corp., McHenry High School District 156, the City of McHenry, and the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, for sponsoring the expo.

 

CDC recommends Pfizer booster for high-risk populations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last week that high-risk populations that received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster shot six months after receiving their second dose.
Only these populations, vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, are eligible for a booster shot at this time:
·    Senior citizens 65 years and older;
·    Adults 18 years and older with underlying medical conditions; and
·    Adults 18 years and older who live or work in high-risk settings.
Click here to learn more about high-risk populations from the CDC.
High-risk people in the recommended groups who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will likely need a booster shot, but the current CDC recommendation is specific to people who received Pfizer. More data are expected soon on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots.
Visit www.Vaccines.gov to find vaccine locations and schedule appointments for either a booster, or to receive the vaccine if you have not already done so. Remember – getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19.

 

Time is running out to apply for Back to Business Grant funding

Illinois businesses have until next Wednesday, Oct. 13, to apply for the new Illinois Back to Business Grant.
More than 500 grants, totaling more than $24 million, were granted to small businesses in the first wave of awards, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced last week.
The $250-million grant program, which opened to applications in August, offers funds to small businesses to help offset COVID-19-related losses and bring back workers. Awards range from between $5,000 and $150,000 per business, and can be spent to cover a wide range of costs, from operations and staff to overhead.
About $100 million of the grant funding is reserved for businesses located in areas determined to have been disproportionately impacted, which in McHenry County includes the ZIP codes for Harvard (60033) and Richmond (60071).
Most of the remaining funding is targeted at businesses that did not receive previous federal and state assistance. About $30 million is set aside for arts and entertainment venues that did not receive SBA Shuttered Venue Operator Grants, and $25 million apiece is set aside for restaurants and taverns that did not get SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grants, and businesses that did not get state Business Interruption Grant funding because the funds were exhausted.
Businesses can learn more and apply by visiting the DCEO’s website.
The state has expanded the community navigator program that assists residents and businesses applying for COVID-related assistance. To find a community navigator near you to help you apply for this new grant, click here.

 

It’s pumpkin patch time!

With the lifting of COVID-19 capacity restrictions earlier this year, Resume McHenry County is featuring the return of its iconic attractions, and the founding of new ones.
October is here, which means that Halloween is just weeks away. It also means that it’s time for you and your family to pick the perfect pumpkins for carving.
If you want to turn picking the perfect pumpkin into family-friendly fun (please pardon the alliteration), our friends at Visit McHenry County have a list of area pumpkin patches where you’re going to find it. So visit www.visitmchenrycounty.com/pumpkins and get picking!
Fun fact – Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state, by a long shot. Click on the link to read an interesting Illinois Farm Bureau article explaining why.
McHenry County, of course, grows the best ones. We have no scientific evidence to back that up – we just know.

 
We hope we got your attention. We need your help reaching more McHenry County residents and businesses to share this important information about the COVID-19 response and connect them with vital resources.
Please take these four steps:
1. Share/forward to your email/newsletter contacts.
2. Post information to your website.
3. Follow us on social media (see below); share our posts with your followers.
4. If you are not on the McHenry County Constant Contact list, please subscribe here

 

Follow McHenry County Government On Social Media

Staying connected and informed is more important now than ever! Follow McHenry County on social media for regular updates on COVID-19 in our region, resources to help you navigate the pandemic, safety tips and more!

 

What is Resume McHenry County?

Resume McHenry County is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents. The goal is to ensure a successful reopening of our economy so that we can return to our lifestyles safely and responsibly.