AGAWAM/WEST SPRINGFIELD – The $900 billion stimulus package that President Trump signed in late December hopes to accommodate the needs of many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from individual payments, unemployment benefits, rental protections, climate measures and child care benefits, the bill also aims to offer substantial support for small businesses and education facilities.

According to Robin Wozniak, the executive director at the West of the River Chamber of Commerce for Agawam and West Springfield, the second stimulus bill will benefit small businesses much more than the first one did from the spring.

“There’s a lot more small business-friendly guidelines in this package,” said Wozniak. “I think the first package heavily leaned toward favoring the larger businesses, and giving them the funding.”

This new bill, according to Wozniak, especially benefits places like Agawam and West Springfield, where smaller businesses have a larger presence. The first bill in the spring greatly favored Eastern Mass, mainly because most large businesses reside in that particular area.

“The government seeing that, I think they made the stipulations and the guidelines, and they kind of streamlined those gray areas that happened in the first stimulus package,” said Wozniak.

The new stimulus bill will also provide $82 billion of relief for education, including $54 million to K-12 schools and $23 billion for colleges and universities, according to a recent New York Times article.   

Despite this substantial increase in funds compared to the March bill, many local schools are still feeling the financial pinch, and are doing everything they can to assist students, teachers and other school employees.

“It’s amazing with the schools,” said Wozniak. “The Town of Agawam gives free lunch to every child, whether they have reduced lunch during the regular school, or not.”

Wozniak, whose daughter goes to school in Agawam, said that students or their guardians can go through a drive-thru, and pick up free breakfast and lunch twice a week at their respective schools in the district. This entire program is grant-funded, according to Wozniak.

“It helps, and it’s free, and it’s keeping the cafeteria staff employed,” said Wozniak, with regards to this free lunch program in Agawam. “It’s all grant-funded, so the more they give these free meals out, the more they’ll be able to sustain their grant.”

West Springfield and Agawam are both taking the necessary steps to navigate this pandemic much more efficiently, according to Wozniak.

“Both towns are working on waiving license renewal fees and liquor license renewal fees,” said Wozniak. “They’re really working to try and help the small businesses, where in the first stimulus package, the government really didn’t.”

Local chambers are also continuing to provide as much guidance and service as possible during these tough times. According to Wozniak, her branch at the West of the River Chamber is deferring membership payments to those members who are going through hardships.  

“We have no problem with that, and we’re doing it currently, and we’ll continue to do so,” said Wozniak, with regards to deferring membership payments.

It was also announced at the end of December that the state of Massachusetts, through the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, is offering $668 million in relief to small businesses across the commonwealth. This bill includes grants of up to $75,000, or three months operating expenses, to help restaurants, retail, and other small businesses pay for operation expenses.

According to information released by the state, the application period for these grants will run between Dec. 31 and Jan. 15. Wozniak is currently putting together a newsletter with information about this bill, and how local businesses and chamber members can obtain applications. She said that the newsletter should be out in January.

"I think that it’s important for the chambers to provide as much small business-friendly, and aid, and guidance, and everything they can for the members and small businesses of Western Mass,” said Wozniak. “It’s our job.”

While a few aspects of the new stimulus bill could be slightly amended in the future, Wozniak believes that the majority of the legislation will stay the same. She hopes that the federal and state government will continue to focus on small business relief.

“The chamber’s role is just providing the information,” said Wozniak. “And my chamber…we’re helping members that are struggling, however we can.”