George Holding: “It has now been seven weeks since the President signed the CARES Act into law to provide crucial relief to small…”

“It has now been seven weeks since the President signed the CARES Act into law to provide crucial relief to small businesses around the country. While these funds have been essential to keeping the doors open for many businesses, I want to draw attention to the entities that remain unable to access the emergency federal funding they desperately need despite providing invaluable community services during this emergency. Throughout this crisis, YMCAs across the state of North Carolina have been on the front lines, working to ensure essential personnel have the resources and assistance they need. In the last few weeks, the YMCA of the Triangle in Raleigh, NC has provided child care services for over 1,700 healthcare workers and served roughly 50,000 meals to families across the region. In Garner, NC, the Poole Family YMCA has provided stability and care to essential personnel by setting up day camps for their children. Their invaluable efforts are central to ensuring healthcare workers can continue fighting this virus. Despite their work supporting essential personnel, YMCAs continue to be left out of key federal assistance programs. Under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which Congress passed specifically to help groups like this, affiliated YMCAs that collectively employ over 500 people cannot access funds.…”