Humans were made to have a community. Your community builds you into the person you are as it filters through every part of your life. You may have community with friends, family and coworkers, but the type of community discussed in this article is your surrounding neighborhood.
Being part of a community unites you with others who have similar ideals and allows you to be part of something greater than yourself. That’s why it’s essential to support your community at all costs.
Small businesses in your community are cornerstones to a secure and thriving life for you and your neighbors. Owners make a point to connect with community members, they’re innovative and competitive with chain businesses to give you the best products and most of all, they support the community. Therefore, by supporting local businesses, you’re helping your community.
Here are seven more ways to support your community through businesses that you may not have thought of before.
1. Purchase Gift Cards
One way to both support your community and a local business is by purchasing gift cards. This is especially true during the times now. With the global pandemic, most companies have had to close doors or are limited to what they can offer for the community and their customers.
Purchasing gift cards gives them business even if you’re not getting a physical product, and you can use them later on when they open back up. Gift cards allow companies to get the money right then and there, and then slowly, consumers will come back to redeem them. Especially now, supporting businesses in this way allow them to keep their doors open for the community.
2. Hire Local Businesses for a Project
Instead of going with a more prominent company or going outside of your local community, hire a local business for a project. This could be hiring a local contractor to work on adding an addition to your home, asking a baker to make cupcakes for a birthday party or looking for a local photographer to take your family photos.
You support community members by asking local businesses for their services. Plus, it’s a great way to promote the company, which may bring in more customers to further support the community by stimulating the local economy.
3. Order Takeout for Yourself and Others
Restaurants are one of many types of businesses. However, they provide delicious food that you can purchase for yourself or others. Since most restaurants are restricted to their dine-in options, you can order takeout instead.
One way to support your community is by purchasing takeout for some hometown heroes. These might be nurses, doctors, firemen, police officers or anyone else who is experiencing the worst of the pandemic or has a stressful job.
4. Ask a Business to Sponsor a Sports Team
Many communities thrive on school sports team entertainment. A Friday night football game gathers the whole town together to support the players. If you have a child on a sports team, consider asking businesses around the area to sponsor them.
The team or organization will get the funds required to purchase equipment, travel to games or for whatever else they need the funds. Communities are full of kids involved in sports, music or other clubs that require funding, so it’s a great way to support the younger people in the community.
5. Participate in Business Events
Businesses often hold events on their own to promote themselves and to involve the whole community. As a way to support your community, go to these events! You might meet new people and find a new business to frequent.
By participating in these events, you can cross-network and learn the importance of buying from local shops to help your community.
6. Get Your Workplace to Host a Charity Contest
If you or a family member works for a local business, consider asking the workplace to host a charity contest for the community or a local cause. Whether you ask one company to participate or get a few businesses to join in the fun, the money raised can go to a charity or local cause.
It’s an excellent way to both promote the business and support local charities. Make it a community event by inviting the locals to come to watch the contest!
7. Volunteer Your Skills
Do you have skills that maybe not many people have or that you notice a business needs? Local businesses would welcome your help. Whether you’re an accountant, digital marketer, photographer, banker or have any other valuable skills, companies would probably love to have you.
This helps the business and allows communities to grow closer. When community businesses support each other, the whole community benefits with better customer services, a boost in the local economy and a safer, friendlier neighborhood. Plus, volunteering offers you a plethora of benefits outside of supporting your community.
Proudly Support Your Community
Through local businesses, you can further support the people around you. Your community is your sense of belonging, so the more you can bolster it, the more fruitful and prosperous your life will be!
Written by Jennifer Landis
About the Author
Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, writer, and blogger at Mindfulness Mama. She’s quite fond of peanut butter, distance running, yoga, and drinking as much tea as possible. Find her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.
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