Kansas Commerce Secretary David Toland says his department has been responding quickly to help business owners and job seekers as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Toland joined KVOE’s Morning Show on Tuesday to update listeners on different ventures that have been either developed or renewed over the past few weeks. The most recent was rolled out last week: the COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal online.
Toland says the department’s HIRE, or Hospitality Industry Relief Emergency fund, as designed to help the hospitality industry was inundated with requests. The $5 million assistance package was exhausted within 24 hours of its official rollout. Toland encouraged business owners to apply in case more money is infused into the fund. If that happens, money will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Toland also says the Commerce Department is encouraging a wider use of Community Development Block Grants as working capital loans. At the same time, it’s still working to recruit businesses to Kansas.
For more information about the Commerce Department, go online to www.kansascommerce.gov. The hiring portal is online at www.kansasworks.com/coronavirus.
