June 12, 2020 – The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, Youngstown Live/Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau and Trumbull County Tourism Bureau are joining to encourage businesses in the Valley to sign a pledge to EMERGE Safely from the COVID crisis.

As businesses reopen in the State of Ohio, the health and safety of everyone who lives, works and visits our community is a top concern. As we continue to EMERGE, we remain vigilant in supporting our local businesses, as well as the hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors who patronize them and want to know that they are in compliance with public health recommendations to keep customers and guests safe. We’re pleased to offer businesses the “Pledge to EMERGE Safely,” which they can sign at regionalchamber.com/emergepledge to assure customers and guests that each of our businesses are putting health and safety first, now more than ever.

Linda Macala, executive director of Youngstown Live, said, “Numerous surveys have shown us that, at the current time, safety is the number one concern of both residents and visitors when deciding to patronize a business or visit an attraction. The ‘EMERGE Safely’ pledge shows a commitment to do everything possible to ensure consumer safety while businesses and attractions reopen. It reinforces the extra steps being taken to follow CDC guidelines to protect both staff and the public.”

Once businesses sign the pledge, they will receive a toolkit with downloadable signage and logos to alert patrons of their commitment to the Pledge to EMERGE, Safely.

Beth Kotwis Carmichael, executive director of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, added, “The vitality of our local economy truly depends on our residents and their visiting friends and family knowing that businesses, activities, restaurants, entertainment options and others are actively abiding by cleaning protocols, putting their guest’s health and safety first. This pledge also gives our local businesses one more tool to ensure public trust.”

The Regional Chamber launched the EMERGE initiative in April to help the business community navigate through and recover from the COVID crisis by providing direct assistance on a variety of topics and matters through the expertise of the team, members of the organization's Board of Directors and Chamber members.

Kim Calvert, vice president of Marketing & Member Services, said, “We’ve spent the past few months working with many businesses that had questions or needed some assistance during this crisis, and as we’re navigating a new normal together, we’re glad to be able to take this next step in ensuring that consumers feel safe as they begin to again patronize all of the wonderful establishments that call our Valley ‘home.’”

For more information or questions, please contact Kim Calvert at 330-744-2131 or kim@regionalchamber.com; Linda Macala at 330-740-2130, ext. 7107 or linda@youngstownlive.com; or Beth Kotwis Carmichael at 330-675-3081 or beth@exploretrumbullcounty.com.