merrimack valley
business relief and
resiliency
The September 2018 gas crisis in the Merrimack Valley caused total disruption to the business community. Nearly 850 businesses were forced to close, thousands of employees lost their jobs and nearly two years later, the impacts of the crisis continue to challenge the local economy.
A broad coalition, including ECCF, responded quickly to address the acute challenges of the impacted businesses. Their immediate advocacy resulted in Columbia Gas providing $10 million to support the recovery and rebuilding of the local economy. The coalition continues working today to create resiliency and growth in the region.
Learn more about their efforts to date.
Responding to COVID-19
Today, the coalition continues to mobilize, collaborate and expand to address the pandemic’s impact on small businesses. The coalition has pivoted to work to support thousands of businesses with:
- Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan support
- acquisition and dissemination of personal protective equiptment (PPE) required to reopen
- broad and deep technical assistance for the business most impacted across the Merrimack Valley
merrimack valley small business coalition
- City of Lawrence
- Town of Andover
- Town of North Andover
- Essex County Community Foundation
- Lawrence Partnership
- EforAll/EparaTodos
- Mill Cities Community Investments
- Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board / MassHire
- Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation
- Assistance from state and federal delegations
september 2020 update report
business relief news
During ECCF’s silver anniversary, the IFT celebrates 15 years
Annual nonprofit leadership conference a longtime cornerstone of foundation’s mission By Michelle Xiarhos Curran ECCF Communications Writer For hundreds of nonprofit leaders, the annual Institute for Trustees (IFT) has become, as Bonnie Bain from Salem Alliance for...
DeGeorge Home Improvement
Every October, employees of DeGeorge Home Improvements pack up their “skeleton crew” and set up shop in the parking lot of the Penn Brook School in Georgetown for the annual Trick- or-Trunk event hosted by the Georgetown Special Education Parents Advisory Council...
At Healing Abuse Working for Change, new digital access program transforms lives
By Michelle Xiarhos Curran ECCF Communications Writer One of the first people to sign up for a program offering free computers and internet access to clients at Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC) – a leading domestic violence agency serving Essex County – was a...
A Community Foundation is Born
By Michelle Xiarhos Curran ECCF COMMUNICATIONS WRITER Like many origin stories, the story of how Essex County Community Foundation came to be is filled with challenges and opportunities, obstacles and perseverance. And, just like many worthwhile origin stories, it...
Artists, nonprofit leaders, educators among new cohort of ECCF Creative County ChangeMakers
Danvers, MA -- Essex County Community Foundation’s investment in a growing group of creative leaders is supporting a more inclusive and sustainable arts and culture ecosystem across the region. Since 2021, the ECCF Creative County ChangeMakers program has graduated 33...
crisis response
get in touch
Stratton Lloyd
Executive Vice President & COO
978-777-8876 x126
s.lloyd@eccf.org
community voices
“Small businesses are not faint at heart, we are not easily defeated; we’re knocked down; but we’re not out.”
– Kellee Twadelle,
Owner, Rose & Dove, North Andover
QUICK LINKS
ECCF's Tax ID # 04-3407816