ReOpen Kits & Crowdfunding Campaign

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland County - Michigan staff worked across departments and with partner municipalities, downtown organizations, chambers and private industry to expeditiously assemble and distribute 15,000 free ReOpen Kits to small businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and voting precincts to help them reopen safely within health protocols. The kits contained critical and hard-to-find Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves, sanitizing solutions, thermometer, social distancing decals, and industry specific reopening guides via a companion ReOpen website. Another facet of the program was a Crowdfunding Campaign that generated $300,000 in 60 days for small business grants and additional PPE for 21 participating downtown communities in the Main Street Oakland County program. Everyone understood that small businesses and entrepreneurs are an essential part of the county’s economic ecosystem and quality of life—and they needed some help right away.