By: Jose Carranza
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (UATV) – The pandemic has set back small businesses, food pantries, and rent relief in Washington County.
The businesses and programs all fell into three categories. Some closed down and reopened after a period during the beginning of the pandemic, some saw some aspects of their operations change, and others actually saw a rise in clients.
With the shock of the pandemic reaching the U.S. in March 2020, many businesses and programs had to shut down their operations.
Signature Fadez LLC is a barbershop and salon on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. Founder and stylist Myron Campbell closed for two months, which translated to “10 thousand dollars” according to Campbell. Campbell claims to have struggled through the pandemic, and that little help was given to completely help recover from the pandemic.
Cooperative Emergency Outreach is a cooperative group of churches providing emergency assistance to community members. CEO provides assistance that includes rent assistance, utilities assistance, and food. According to CEO Board President Joe Dushan, the cooperative “temporarily suspended all operations from mid-March to mid-June.”
“60% of our sources come from our member churches the other 40% from other sources,” Says Dushan, “when we closed in march, April and May, the churches were also closed and…their donations declined and as a result the amount of money they had to donate to CEO was also diminished.”
Dushan says that the diminished resources was one of the reasons that the cooperative elected to suspend clothing and gas assistance and rather focus on more important utilities assistance, rent assistance, and food.
While some businesses closed from the pandemic, others adapted their operations. When the Arkansas Department of Public Health issued a directive in mid-March 2020 to close many indoor activities, businesses had to adapt to continue their operations.
Bread of Life in Springdale is a Food Pantry, Emergency Financial Assistance, and Counsel through First United Methodist Church. To adapt to the pandemic, Director of missions, Joshua Bland, explains how they changed to handing out pre-prepared packages by drive-thru.
Bland says that the change during the pandemic saw less face-to-face conversation that helped develop relationships at Bread of Life. Having to hand out pre-packaged items also lost guest choice, a list of groceries available that clients could choose from. However, with Bread of Life going back indoors in November, Bland says that they brought back those connections and guest choice.
Bland, however, claims that they saw a rise in assistance which averaged out by the end of the year.
Because of the pandemic, not only were businesses and programs affected but also many individuals. At Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Reverend Clint Schnekloth experienced this change.
“Normally I’ve always had a small pastoral discretionary fund if somebody came, maybe needed some gas for their car or their utility bill or whatever,” explains Schnekloth “Instead of giving 5000 dollars for the year or 10, we gave out 200 thousand.”
Currently Clint Schnekloth also oversees a group called Washington County Cares on Facebook that seeks to discuss the use of the Cares Act funding at the Courthouse. The group seeks for the use of the Cares Acts funding towards rent relief, food insecurity and small businesses.
Since February 26, 2021, the Arkansas Department of Health changed directives for the Covid-19 pandemic to guidelines including those for indoor gatherings.
WASHINGTON COUNTY