Orange County Offering Personal Protective Equipment to Small Businesses to Assist in Economic Recovery
PPE for Small Biz in Orange County, an Orange County Government COVID-19 initiative through the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, will provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to small businesses in Orange County to assist in reopening or sustaining them – all at no cost.
During this distribution, one million face masks and 200,000 travel-size (2-oz.) hand sanitizer bottles will be distributed in kits to up to 20,000 businesses at drive-thru pick-up sites throughout the County.
In order for small businesses in Orange County to qualify and pick-up PPEs, they must register by completing an Interest Form at www.ocfl.net/PPE. Small businesses must have an appointment to visit one of the pick-up sites.
In order to be eligible, small businesses can be either for-profit or non-profit, and must be incorporated with majority operations located in Orange County; and must employ no more than 40 individuals, regardless of full-time or part-time status.
Distribution will begin on Monday, May 11, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will remain open at the same operating hours until Friday, May 15, 2020, or until supplies run out.
“We understand there are many new expenses and new rules small businesses are going to have to follow in order to reopen,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “We want to ease their financial burden by providing PPE free of charge to invest in the future of our small businesses.”
There are six pick-up sites conveniently located across the County – one for each District within Orange County. For a list of pick-up locations and information to complete an Interest Form based on a location closest to your business, visit www.ocfl.net/PPE.
Small business owners must register by completing an Interest Form as soon as possible, as the form will be inaccessible once supplies run out. Orange County businesses eligible to receive PPE kits must submit the form with all needed business information and preferred pick-up location and time.
Priority will be given to small businesses that recently reopened or are eligible to open in Phase 1 of Florida State’s Guidelines, as well as those that indicate they have been unable to obtain PPE for their employees due to financial hardship and/or supply-chain scarcities.
For more information about the PPE for Small Biz in Orange County initiative, please email EconomicRecovery@ocfl.net, or visit www.ocfl.net/EconomicRecovery.