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Every time you spend money on goods or services, you
have the opportunity to make a difference in your community and the
world. When you spend your money at local businesses and buy
locally-produced goods and services, you're choosing to reinvest in your
community and helping to create a stronger local economy and healthier
more sustainable world.
Strong local economies are essential to sustainable community
development and the healthiest economies are those that connect economic
development to meeting the communities’ social and environmental needs.
That’s why “buying local” can make such a powerful difference – we are
connecting our economic choices to our values and a vision of what kind
of community we want to live in. |
Ways Buying Local Makes a Sustainable Difference.
Support community groups
Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller locally-owned business
owners than they do from large businesses.
Better Customer Service
Community-based businesses compete on being responsive to their customers’ needs.
As a result, local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling
and take more time to get to know customers.
More and Better Jobs
For every 2 jobs a national retailer brings to a
community, 3 higher-wage jobs are lost due to local businesses closing.
Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally
and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Greater Economic Vitality
The money you spend locally re-circulates in the
community for 2 to 3 times the economic impact of dollars spent at
national retailers.
(Studies show that locally-owned businesses generate a
premium in enhanced economic impact—For every $100 spent at a locally
owned
business, $68 goes back into the community and our tax
base. For every $100 spent at a chain store, only $43 comes back).
