Women’s group bolsters city’s small businesses

LOWELL » Although their work may be behind the scenes, Lowell’s businessminded women in leadership positions have arguably done more than many to keep the city’s small businesses afloat through the pandemic.

An informal group that began around the start of the pandemic to help Lowell’s business community has turned into a bridge-building experience between groups in Lowell, but also a tight-knit support system for these women, now known as the Lowell Business Recovery Task Force.

The group began when Christine Mccall, just weeks into her new role as Lowell’s director of economic development, could see that the pandemic looming on the horizon could have detrimental effects on the city’s businesses. She quickly assembled a group of business leaders, many of whom are women, to discuss how best to support Lowell’s business community and how to disseminate information to them about how state regulations may affect their operations.

“It was Christine that kind of kicked us all off back in March, to really rein us in and say, ‘we’ve got to, you know, respond to the needs of the business community,’ ” said Allison Lamey, economic development director of the Lowell Plan and the Lowell Development and Financial Corporation. “Things were changing so quickly, and it was hard to get a handle on (the situation).”

Over the past year, the group has been involved with several initiatives to support the city’s businesses, each bringing their own expertise and network with them. The group’s initiatives have included a video package, spearheaded by

Julia Malakie / lowell sun From left, Franky Descoteaux, Christine Mccall, Germaine Vigeant-trudel, Danielle Mcfadden, allison lamey, and soumita acharya pose near the Homage to women statue on Market street in downtown lowell saturday. the women formed a group to help small businesses survive during the pandemic.