EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.

On Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, the Seattle Southside Chamber, in partnership with the City of Tukwila, announced the public launch of the Southside Promise as part of the Southside Mitigation and Recovery Taskforce (SMART).

The Southside Promise is an outreach initiative that will provide businesses with tools and resources to reopen successfully after weathering the human and economic impacts of COVID-19.

These tools and resources include access to SMART’s Reopening Toolkit and Safe Start Kits as well as inclusion in a robust marketing and promotion campaign that will include video, photography, an influencer kick-off event, and much more. The goal of the campaign is to assist in the smooth re-opening of Southside businesses and then to draw tourists and members of our community to those newly re-opened businesses, all while remaining committed to public health.

“Now, more than ever, the importance of economic development cannot be overstated,” said Andrea Reay President/CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber. “However, the human and health impacts cannot be overstated either. We need to maintain the physical health of our community, and the economic health. Which is why we are proud to partner with the City of Tukwila on our Southside Promise initiative.”

“Businesses throughout the region are hurting due to COVID-19 and its associated economic impacts,” noted Allan Ekberg, Tukwila Mayor. “I want to thank the Chamber for their leadership and assistance during these challenging times. Tukwila is excited to partner with the Chamber on Southside Promise.”

All Southside business are encouraged to take the Southside Promise and can sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/southsidepromise

The Southside Promise campaign joins the ranks of SMART promotions, such as…

For updates on SMART, stay tuned to the S.M.A.R.T. webpage and follow the Seattle Southside Chamber on their social pages @SeaSouthChamber.

The Seattle Southside Chamber has opportunities available for partnership to serve and support the community through S.M.A.R.T. and encourage donations to the fund and taskforce so that they can do more to help the community. Individuals and businesses can contribute on the Southside Strong Fund webpage or they can contact the Chamber for more information.

About the Southside Mitigation And Recovery Taskforce: SMART is a public/private taskforce, led by the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, that strives to find real solutions to the challenges our community faces as we confront the human and economic impacts of COVID-19. As the taskforce works to deliver initiatives and campaigns that help support and encourage a quick recovery to the local business community, it is focused on 3 main objects: Advocacy, Support, and Marketing and Promotion.

About the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce: The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business organization that has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila since 1988. The Chamber focuses on business advancement in the region by helping to build and maintain a strong economic environment.

About the City of Tukwila: Incorporated in 1908, the City of Tukwila is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, with more than 80 languages spoken in the Tukwila School District. While 20,000 people call Tukwila home, during the day, Tukwila becomes one of Washington State’s largest cities, with more than 150,000 people coming into the city daily to work, shop, play, and dine. Long at the center of commerce in Washington State, Tukwila is home to many well-known businesses such as Boeing, BECU, Top Pot Donuts, Seattle Chocolates, Rainier Industries, The Seattle Seawolves, and Seattle Sounders FC train at Starfire Sports. Tukwila is also a retail powerhouse; home to the largest shopping center in the Pacific Northwest, Tukwila generates $2.5 billion in taxable retail sales annually.