Roy Nascimento

Roy Nascimento, CEO and president of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, joins The Weekly Business Report to discuss the results of the chamber's survey showing in-depth how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting the business communities in Leominster, Fitchburg and the rest of North Worcester County.

In an effort to fill in gaps across loan relief programs, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce announced Friday the launch of an Economic Recovery Fund, which will provide loans to eligible small businesses negatively impacted by the ongoing economic disruption.

The North Central Mass. Development Corp., the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, has received a $500,000 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration to back its lending efforts to the region’s small businesses, the nonprofit announced on Monday.

Essential manufacturing includes a wide spectrum of workers, ranging from those who produce medical supplies to those who support the agricultural market, and everything in between.