Podcasts Government Partners for Better Communities (Virginia's DHCD Podcast) 12. Todd Wolford Business support during COVID-19 & Wytheville's lessons from the polio past

12. Todd Wolford Business support during COVID-19 & Wytheville's lessons from the polio past

Published: May 8, 2020, 3:58 p.m.

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In this episode, Downtown Wytheville, Inc. Executive Director Todd Wolford discusses business support though the pandemic, sharing lessons learned during the course of the Southwest Virginia community\'s recent downtown renaissance. "We\'ve become a hub of information," says Wolford, "so a lot of people were looking at our organization saying \'What are you going to do?\' It\'s a lot of pressure." 

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What this Virginia Main Street community is doing: helping businesses navigate uncertain terrain and access financial resources, including a new micro loan program.

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Tough circumstances are not new for this downtown district. Seventy years ago, polio struck the community with one of the largest outbreaks per capita in the country. During the "summer without children," the summer destination closed businesses and sent visitors away. More recently Downtown Wytheville, Inc. helped district businesses navigate the challenges of a streetscape improvement process that limited access to downtown businesses. 

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Get resources for COVID-19 business support in your community at the following locations:

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