NEW Posters for Businesses!
|
|
Business Groups Encourage Customers Across Maine to Be Kind
Public awareness campaign around “doing business differently” launches!
To access a toolkit with posters and graphics to help YOU spread the word--please click HERE.
MAINE (June 25, 2020)--Retailers, grocers, food producers and other businesses across Maine are asking the public to practice kindness and respect toward workers and each other as shops, restaurants and other locations continue reopening following the unprecedented shutdown caused by COVID-19.
The Retail Association of Maine, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Maine Grocer and Food Producers Association came together to develop the statewide campaign based on their observations of consumer behavior at essential businesses throughout the pandemic and as businesses began to reopen. They noticed that many customers were coming in to businesses, ignoring mask-wearing requirements and sometimes harassing store employees who attempted to enforce the rules put in place according to Maine CDC guidelines and the governor’s executive orders.
The “Let’s Be Kind” statewide campaign will kick off today with a social media campaign along with posters in businesses and on July 6 public service announcements will begin airing on television stations across the state. The campaign’s tagline--Doing Business Differently Helps Keep Maine Safe—is intended to reinforce the importance of making simple adjustments to everyone’s daily shopping and dining habits in order to protect workers and each other.
“We realize this unprecedented pandemic and stay at home order has been taxing on everyone, and people are anxious to get back to their lives as usual,” said Curtis Picard, President and CEO of the Retail Association of Maine. “At the same time, practices are changing as retailers and other businesses work to comply with state guidelines and ensure that their employees—including those front-line workers who interact with the public every day—are able to stay as healthy and safe as possible. It’s essential to keeping businesses open and the economy getting back on track.”
Christine Cummings, Executive Director of the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association, noted, “Front-line employees have been essential to keeping our member businesses open and running throughout the pandemic. We owe them a debt of gratitude, not harassment, when they ask customers to follow guidelines such as wearing a face covering and maintaining safe social distancing—they are working to keep us all safe.”
“We are asking the public to plan ahead; take precautions such as wearing a mask, washing hands and using hand sanitizer; and, above all, respect everyone,” said Quincy Hentzel, CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We are all in this together, and if we all take these simple steps and treat each other with a little extra kindness and patience, we can emerge from this pandemic stronger.”
The Retail Association of Maine, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Maine Grocer and Food Producers Association came together to develop the statewide campaign based on their observations of consumer behavior at essential businesses throughout the pandemic and as businesses began to reopen. They noticed that many customers were coming in to businesses, ignoring mask-wearing requirements and sometimes harassing store employees who attempted to enforce the rules put in place according to Maine CDC guidelines and the governor’s executive orders.
The “Let’s Be Kind” statewide campaign will kick off today with a social media campaign along with posters in businesses and on July 6 public service announcements will begin airing on television stations across the state. The campaign’s tagline--Doing Business Differently Helps Keep Maine Safe—is intended to reinforce the importance of making simple adjustments to everyone’s daily shopping and dining habits in order to protect workers and each other.
“We realize this unprecedented pandemic and stay at home order has been taxing on everyone, and people are anxious to get back to their lives as usual,” said Curtis Picard, President and CEO of the Retail Association of Maine. “At the same time, practices are changing as retailers and other businesses work to comply with state guidelines and ensure that their employees—including those front-line workers who interact with the public every day—are able to stay as healthy and safe as possible. It’s essential to keeping businesses open and the economy getting back on track.”
Christine Cummings, Executive Director of the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association, noted, “Front-line employees have been essential to keeping our member businesses open and running throughout the pandemic. We owe them a debt of gratitude, not harassment, when they ask customers to follow guidelines such as wearing a face covering and maintaining safe social distancing—they are working to keep us all safe.”
“We are asking the public to plan ahead; take precautions such as wearing a mask, washing hands and using hand sanitizer; and, above all, respect everyone,” said Quincy Hentzel, CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We are all in this together, and if we all take these simple steps and treat each other with a little extra kindness and patience, we can emerge from this pandemic stronger.”
** WATCH & SHARE **
Let's Be Kind - Doing Businesses Differently Helps Keep Maine Safe
Download Let's Be Kind Posters & Social Media Graphics
Join our kindness movement and help spread the word! Place a Let's Be Kind poster to your storefront doors, counters and throughout your business, as a reminder that these simple acts can help keep Maine safe.
To access a toolkit with posters and graphics to help YOU spread the word--please click HERE.
To access a toolkit with posters and graphics to help YOU spread the word--please click HERE.
"Let's Be Kind" is brought to you in partnership by:
