Around the 4th of July I wrote about a campaign to spend all your food dollars locally for the holiday. It is estimated that for every dollar spent at a local business, 3 or 4 times that amount recycles in the local economy, as opposed to buying from a big chain. So I was pleased to find out about this new campaign. It is called contribute 2009, and is geared at getting more money spent in the local economy on a specific day. The organizers hope to get 100,000 people to each spend $50 on October 12 at a local business. That would put $5 million dollars into the local economy. If it expands out the way it should, that means a $150-$200 million dollar boost to the Cleveland economy. Not bad, eh? And it isn’t difficult to do. You have to eat, plan that day as your night out and eat at a locally owned restaurant, instead of Applebee’s. Buy your groceries for the week that day and shop at your locally owned grocer, like Dave’s or the West Side Market stalls. Get your oil changed on that day from a local mechanic. Get your gas filled at a local independent gas station (if you can find one). Keep your money in your own hometown and make a difference where you live. It is coming up, take the pledge. Visit this site to find out more!
Buy local and contribute to the local economy!
Written by Robert Stockham
