SANTA MONICA— On August 19, the City of Santa Monica announced the launch of its new program, “Santa Monica Shines.” This program provides resources that businesses can take advantage of to accommodate changes that COVID-19 has led to.

“The program shares best practices on what to do in sensitive situations to help Santa Monica shine during this difficult period,” the City of Santa Monica’s announcement said.

This program will be free for Santa Monica businesses including office, retail, food and beverage service, hotel sectors, and more.

To take the Santa Monica Shines Pledge, businesses need to take an online course that’s available at ArrowUpSantamonica.com. The pledge will include a COVID-19 safety practice course and a sensitivity course, and businesses will need to agree to implement all required safety measures. The information will be available in English and Spanish.

Once the course is completed, business can sign up to receive the Santa Monica Shines Safety Assurance Seal to publicly display. To do this, businesses have to schedule an online or onsite walk through with Sustainable Works to verify compliance with program protocols and safety guidelines.

“We are open for business. It is safe to shop in Santa Monica, and we hope this assurance program reinforces this to Santa Monica residents and visitors. Buying local makes a huge difference in our community, helping to generate much-needed revenue to support our schools, parks and essential City services. Our local businesses need our support now more than ever. Buy local, stay safe and make a difference,” said Jennifer Taylor, City of Santa Monica’s Economic Development Manager.

This program has been funded by the City of Santa Monica’s Economic Recovery Task Force with match funding support provided by Santa Monica College.

“We are proud to partner with Santa Monica College, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, Arrow Up, and Sustainable Works to launch this free resource that supports local employees and businesses with implementing County Public Health protocols,” said Anuj Gupta, Deputy City Manager and co-chair of Economic Recovery Task Force. “We know that it is a challenging time for our entire community, and we hope this resource will ensure employees across Santa Monica are prepared while reassuring customers that we are committed to remaining a safe place to shop, dine, and play.”