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Interview: Main Street District Yellow Shirt Ambassadors Take Action Amid COVID-19
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City Center Partnership would like to take this time to send a huge thank you to all the frontline workers who are doing everything they can to help keep our community safe and help stop the spread of COVID-19. THANK YOU for your tireless work during this incredibly crazy time!
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We also want to shine a bright light on our very own Yellow Shirts who are also working hard to keep the Main Street District clean and safe.
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Our team has continued to work with limited person-to-person contact and increased personal protective and hygiene safety measures. The work they’re doing not only keeps our Main Street District looking beautiful, but it also keeps it safe.
Learn more about how our Yellow Shirt ambassadors are facing new challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic and what support is available to the Main Street District stakeholders in the Q&A interview with Allen Franklin, Director of Operations.
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Q: First, can you briefly explain what role the Yellow Shirt Ambassadors serve in the Main Street District?
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A: Our Yellow Shirt ambassadors have always played a key role in being the first face and interaction people have with our district, serving as the eyes and ears on the ground. They keep our neighborhoods clean and safe.
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Q: Will you describe the daily duties for Yellow Shirt Ambassadors under the closure order?
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A: Foot traffic has decreased significantly in the Main Street District, and we have seen a reduction in the amount of trash we need to collect daily. But that trash collection remains a significant daily duty for our team, and it now needs to be managed in a different way. We are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to handle trash and waste differently in order to protect the health and safety of our ambassadors, as well as to avoid spreading potential contamination. Our Yellow Shirts are also playing an important role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 by sanitizing daily and cleaning public space assets, including bus shelters. We have removed all the tables and chairs from Main Street to help prevent any further spread of the virus and to keep both staff and the public safe.
As we have in the past, we will play a key role in recovery. We are continuing to sustain landscaping, cleaning, and other projects to maintain the highest standards for public space during this closure order.
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Q: How is the Main Street District continuing to support individuals experiencing homelessness?
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A: With Oliver Gospel and Transitions limiting their bed space per CDC guidelines, our Yellow Shirts are continually working with the homeless they meet on the street. They are doing this by providing outreach assistance, if needed, and answering any questions or concerns they have while maintaining a proper social distance for their own safety and others. We continue to work with United Way, MIRCI, and many other providers to help our homeless get the services they need within our Main Street District.
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Our amazing Yellow Shirts will continue to be available for you throughout the Main Street District. If you need assistance, please email info@citycentercolumbia.sc or call 803-309-7758 or 803-587-7831. As a reminder, we have discontinued our free shuttle service until further notice.
Hours of Operation for Yellow Shirts:
Monday-Saturday: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sunday: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm
Stay connected and Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Who is City Center Partnership and the BID?
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In 2001, City Center Partnership was formed to manage the downtown Business Improvement District in the 36-block area bounded by Gervais, Elmwood, Assembly and Marion streets in Columbia, SC. The organization provides public space management, economic development, place management, marketing services, and public advocacy for the Main Street District.
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The Board of Directors oversee the organization’s mission — to focus on filling vacancies in commercial properties, retaining existing downtown businesses and recruiting new ones, expanding the downtown residential base, and creating a safe, clean, and friendly downtown environment.
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