Watertown— “We subcontract and work closely with the Community Service Society’s Small Business Assistance Program, who recently awarded us this $80,000 grant” said Lynn Pietroski, President and CEO of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce (G.W.N.C.).
“When the request for a proposal came out, we were told that G.W.N.C. was an ideal candidate because of our connection to small businesses,” said Ms. Pietroski. The award will be used in the creation of a Community Health Advocate to serve North Country businesses. G.W.N.C. aims to assist small businesses understand the various small business tax credits under the Affordable Care Act.
“With the Affordable Care Act upon us, there are a lot of unanswered questions,” said Pietroski. The grant will provide an opportunity for the G.W.N.C. to assist individuals and small businesses with any questions or concerns they may have, including providing one-on-one counseling.
According to Ms. Pietroski, the G.W.N.C. aims to focus on providing business development support to both small and large businesses within the community. “We are here to serve our community and this is another way that we’re serving the community, adding value to our membership. But at this point, we are not limited to just members of the chamber.”
Non-members that are business owners within the tri-county area (Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence) are also individuals the G.W.N.C. would like to serve.
