GNO, INC Update – 4/10/2020

Regional Stakeholders,

During a crisis, timely, accurate, and actionable information is important.  In order to help you get this information, GNO, Inc. is sending out regular updates.  Please see below, and feel free to forward.

April 10, 2020 Update

News

• Stimulus Checks  – The IRS announced today that some Americans can expect to receive their stimulus payments as early as next week. Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 and received their refund via direct deposit will automatically receive their stimulus payment via direct deposit.  For those who do not receive their tax refund through direct deposit but wish to receive their stimulus payment in this manner, the IRS is planning on launching a web portal that will allow people to submit their bank account information to the IRS in order to receive their stimulus payments sooner.

For those Americans that are non-filers but qualify for a stimulus check, the IRS has created an online tool to input information so that they can receive their stimulus payment.

• Coronavirus Health Task Force – Today, Governor John Bel Edwards launched the Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. The task force will be led by universities, research institutions and medical experts from across the state. In the near term, the task force will serve to ensure that communities with health disparities receive timely and accurate information regarding COVID-19; provide the medical community with best practices and protocols for treating communities with underlying medical conditions and health disparities; and, ensure that testing is available across all communities.
• Get it to Geaux – The Governor’s office unveiled theGet it to Geaux campaign.  To support our local restaurant industry, Louisiana residents are encouraged to choose a restaurant, place an order and designate a neighborhood captain who can pick up all of the orders at once to reduce the number of people out.

Information

• Paycheck Protection Program – The forgivable loan program is in its first full week of applications.
  • GNO, Inc.’s overview of the program is here.
  • You can find the latest guidance on the U.S. Department of Treasury website here.
  • Finally, there is a GNO, Inc. webinar, with questions and answers, here.

The SBA has also released a tool to help find a nearby lender eligible to issue a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program.

Resources

Are you looking for:

• Online Training? – A catalogue of opportunities for online training from the region’s higher education partners and private training providers can be found here.
• Work? – If you want a job in a sector that is surging right now, new openings are on WorkNOLA.com.
• Employees? – A database of local talent looking for new job opportunities, including quick employment history and skills summary, is on the WorkNOLA Workforce Directory.
• COVID-19 Customers/Purchasers? – If you have pivoted your business to make a new, coronavirus-related product, register onGNOpivot.
• COVID-19 Supplies/Services? – If you are looking for PPE, sanitizer, food providers, and other related products and services, search the GNOpivot Resource Tool.

As always, general information is on the GNO, Inc. Coronavirus Business Resource Page.

Please feel free to contact me [email protected] or VP Policy Ileana Ledet at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions.

Take care,

Michael

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