In the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned useful and effective ways to manage the spread of infection during a pandemic. We learned new ways to work, shop, hold meetings and interact with others.
We also learned that when containing a virus results in community shutdown, the cost – measured in lost jobs, lost income, lost tax revenue and massive expenditures at all levels of government – is crippling.
Before we face any new shutdowns, our industry needs YOU to act.
The most important aspect of operating a home furnishings business during a health crisis is operating safely – not meeting an arbitrary definition of “essential.” Whether you are an industry supplier, manufacturer, importer, retailer, designer or specialized furniture carrier, your business is essential to those whose livelihoods depend on it.
To protect health and preserve jobs, AHFA spearheaded the Alliance4Safety, an initiative providing home furnishings businesses with a roadmap for operating safely in the face of a pandemic. Combining recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, local departments of health and industry consultants, along with best practices gleaned from a broad array of home furnishings businesses, the Alliance4Safety website provides a comprehensive guide to keeping the people who depend on our industry:
Safe at the factory door, Safe on the factory floor, Safe in the store, and Safe in the customer’s home.
The time to convey this important message to state and local officials is NOW, before the arrival of any new health crisis or decisions about future shutdowns.
Share the Allliance4Safety message with government and health officials in your state and local community. Share it with decision-makers at your Chamber of Commerce and economic development agency. Share it with your local media. We have drafted a Sample Letter for your convenience and urge you to customize it with details on your unique business operations.
Additional Alliance4Safety tools are below, including a sample press release for local media outlets and downloadable graphics, including store or factory signage and Alliance4Safety logos.
To find out more about how to protect health and preserve jobs, visit the Alliance4Safety website.