New Task Force Aims To Help Small Tulsa Businesses After Financial Suffer From COVID-19 Outbreak

As COVID-19 forces many small businesses and organizations to temporarily close up shop, a new task force in Tulsa is stepping up to help.

"We're letting people know they're not alone,” said Pamela Amburgy, a volunteer. “We're all in this together."

It's called Tulsa Responds, which is a partnership between the city, Tulsa Economic Development Corporation, George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa Community Foundation and Atento Capital.

Their common goal is to help Tulsa's small businesses and nonprofits apply for financial assistance.

"We're reaching out to them as human beings to people who have probably already suffered a lot of loss already,” said Amburgy. “Their business may be closed. They may have laid off employees."

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Amburgy volunteered after Mayor G.T. Bynum announced the program last week.

Amburgy works remotely and responds to requests submitted online from small businesses.

"We have been working shifts basically 12 hours a day," said Amburgy.

Amburgy helps determine what types of relief options are available, like SBA loans from the federal government and relief from the CARES act.

One option locally for some businesses is the Tulsa Business Resilience and Recovery Fund, which has $1.1 million set aside for small Tulsa businesses that qualify.

Amburgy says by just reaching out, they can determine what's best for the business.

To learn more or submit an application, click here.