At their first meeting of the year on Feb. 3, members of the Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce learned how to cope with the situation brought on by COVID-19 and how to earn tax credits for their business.Nicole Weis, a peer support program manager with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, discussed a training program called GRIT (Greater Resilience Information Toolkit).ìThe more we support each other, the more resilient we become,î Weis said. The purpose of GRIT is to help people overcome the negative effects of COVID-19. It is a free five-hour program that has trained about 2,000 people in the U.S. and abroad. It presents practical methods of combating the stress and trauma caused by COVID-19 and also how to refer to professional mental health experts.The GRIT program has a five-pronged approach consisting of making contact, asking questions, identifying strengths and resilience, adding to strengths; and, finally, reviewing, summarizing, discussing action steps and providing resources. The program deals with mood improving positive activities, social connections, healthy eating and sleeping, exercise and relaxation.Weis said there are four tracks to the GRIT program. The core track, GRIT, which originated in early April is for everyone who is interested. As time went on, specialized tracks were developed. GRIT-4ED is for parents, teachers and educators. GRIT-LEAD is specifically tailored for leaders. GRIT-4Health is for health care workers. Each track is free and consists of a five-hour video and a workbook.For more information, visit https://grit.uccs.edu.The next speaker, Sara Lobato, discussed taxes. Lobato, an economic senior analyst with El Paso County, presented information on the Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone, which is part of the Colorado Enterprise Zone.The Zone programs offer state income tax credits for businesses in economically distressed areas.The Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone includes a large portion of El Paso County, mostly in the eastern part of the county. It is one of 16 enterprise zones created by the Colorado Legislature. The zone offers a wide range of tax credits for businesses, including tax credits for investments, commercial vehicle investments, new employees, job training credit and vacant building rehabilitation. For additional information, Lobato can be contacted at 719-520-6480 or SaraLobato@elpasoco.com.Noting that attendance at chamber meeting has been lower in 2020 because of COVID-19, Dave Ahrens, chamber president, announced that in 2021 there would be an active new member committee with a goal of increasing membership by 50%. He also said that in 2021 the chamber intends to participate in community events and have more educational programs.
