ABILENE, TX– The Chamber’s Hispanic Business Council is proud to partner with Lowe’s Home Improvement to help minority-owned businesses keep their employees and customers safe while remaining open by providing free masks to business owners.
According to McKinsey & Company, the 1.1 million minority-owned small businesses with employees in America employ more than 8.7 million workers and annually generate more than $1 trillion in economic output. Women own nearly 300,000 of them, employing 2.4 million workers.
“The hard work, tireless efforts and innovative spirit of our more than 300,000 associates have allowed us to significantly change many aspects of our business quickly to serve communities throughout the pandemic,” said Joe McFarland, Lowe’s EVP of stores. “Our additional $25 million commitment to COVID-19 relief expands our support of small business as we look to help the country recover from this pandemic.”
Businesses can visit Abilene’s southside Lowe’s Home Improvement store during regular business hours and ask customer service for the free mask. Masks are given on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last.
“Our locally-owned small businesses have had significant challenges this year having to close due to COVID-19 restrictions, pivot their way of doing business in order to maintain revenue, and now trying to navigate moving forward,” said Veronica Fuentes, Director of Committees for the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. “Any chance the Chamber and our committees such as the Hispanic Business Council can help lesson the burden on our business community, we’re going to take that opportunity to help.”
