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
November 2021 | Lunch & Learn – Basic Needs
November 2021 – Basic Needs This event is for ECCF’s Family of Funds. 12 – 1:30 PM RSVP HERE.
Column: Systems of support help local students make gains
Though the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students is not yet fully known, what we do know – and what the early data confirms – is that learning has suffered, equity gaps have widened and the time to come together to create systems that work for all students is now.
Brea and Huy Receive Scholarships From Arts Institute Group of M.V. and Methuen Arts Initiative
Liz Brea of Methuen and Duong Huy of Lowell were recently awarded scholarships by the Arts Institute Group of The Merrimack Valley and Methuen Arts Initiative.
At First Meeting of New Digital Equity Coalition, Local Leaders Envision New Reality
On June 1, 2021, 65 members of a new coalition that will work together to advance digital equity in Essex County met for the first time to jumpstart the collaborative work to get every resident online and engaged in the digital world.
A collaborative focus on hard-hit restaurants signals better days ahead
Arturo Acosta always dreamed of opening his own restaurant. The Dominican-born chef, who spent much of his career in Chile, made that dream a reality in July of 2018 when he opened Japú in Lawrence. It was a risk, he says, introducing the concept of Nikkei – a fusion of Peruvian ingredients and Japanese culinary techniques – to the local food scene.
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
GET IN TOUCH
- 175 Andover Street, Suite 101
Danvers, Massachusetts 01923
QUICK LINKS
ECCF's Tax ID # 04-3407816