Gov. Mike Parson said that businesses will have to adapt to a new normal because COVID-19 isn’t going away as he outlined economic recovery plans for the state.
“I’m glad to see Missourians begin to safely re-engage in the economy, and we are thankful for the businesses across the state that have stepped up and implemented new measures to keep employees and customers safe,” Parson said Tuesday at a news conference.
Some 78,733 businesses in Missouri are set to get a total of $9.24 billion in Paycheck Protection Program assistance from the Small Business Administration as of May 1, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
“We are working together to develop and institute resilient and sustainable economic initiatives that promote prosperity in our state,” Missouri Director of Economic Development Rob Dixon said. “This is not a short term recovery effort, and it will always be connected to our ability to deal with the virus.”
The U.S. Department of Labor announced the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development will get a $1.3 million emergency grant. The RecoverMO Humanitarian Work Grant will help MDHEWD provide temporary employment opportunities in humanitarian work such as grocery delivery, health care workers, contact tracing and other areas along with job training opportunities, the governor’s office said in a news release.
MDHEWD will launch the #RecoverMO campaign on May 18 to begin to hold virtual job fairs and help those who are out of work. As part of the campaign, the department will highlight several short-term training programs from Missouri colleges that allow people to earn a certificate or industry-recognized credential to help them find employment.
“Missouri citizens and businesses are eager to get back to work … and now more than ever, they need our support to get back on their feet,” Parson said.
