The Plum Chamber of Commerce and borough officials have joined forces for a new initiative designed to help businesses impacted by the covid-19 pandemic.

“Borough businesses are back, help back our borough businesses” starts June 18 with email blasts to community members alerting them of special announcements, promotions and other information on how shops are doing.

“We have some businesses that we feel have really been hurt during this time and could use a little extra help,” Chamber President Mary Beth Tedrick said. “We have some businesses that could help other businesses come back, and we have people who don’t know what’s happening with the businesses. So we want to get the word out.”

Some shops were shuttered in mid-March when Gov. Tom Wolf ordered nonessential Pennsylvania businesses to shut down to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Allegheny County was recently moved to the green phase of the state’s economic reopening plan, meaning a lot more stores have reopened their doors with some new safety restrictions.

Council President Dave Odom said the “blasts” will also go out Thursday afternoons on all borough media such as its website, Facebook page and Savvy Citizen alerts.

“This is an innovative way to try to help inject some positive momentum into the businesses in Plum,” Odom said. “We recognize the impact that the coronavirus has had on them. We certainly are looking to provide some means to get our Plum businesses back up and running to where they’re not only efficient, but productive in bringing in the revenue they had prior to covid-19.”

The second part of the initiative includes a mailer to residents delivered by the start of July with coupons from businesses. The coupons would serve as raffle tickets once used at those places.

The mailer is expected to feature 20 businesses, with five of them highlighted per week for four weeks, meaning a different set of coupons for July 1, 8, 15 and 22.

Participating shop owners would offer a gift card for a raffle either to their business or another shop in Plum.

“It will bring awareness of what businesses have to offer, and it will encourage community members to go out and support their local businesses,” Tedrick said.

The chamber is looking for more businesses to participate in the mailer. About 12 have signed up. The deadline to join the initiative is June 17.

Those interested can contact Tedrick at 412-798-2300 or email info@plumchamber.com.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)