This year the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance is once again asking people to champion a local-first mindset by buying and giving locally throughout the holiday season. The initiative, Buy • Give • Grow, presented by GreenState Credit Union, puts a spotlight on local businesses and organizations for the next two months, encouraging shoppers and philanthropists to keep their dollars in the Cedar Rapids metro.
“Studies show that nearly 70 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays in the community,” Doug Neumann, executive director of the Economic Alliance, stated in a press release. “Choosing to focus your holiday shopping at local establishments benefits the businesses, the employees, and the local economy here in the Cedar Rapids metro.”
Buy • Give • Grow spotlights 15 local businesses and non-profit organizations over the next two months as part of the buy local and give local messaging to the community.
A selection committee made up primarily of local businesspeople, reviewed dozens of applications, and chose these 15 businesses and non-profits to be featured on TV, radio, online on billboards and social media throughout the upcoming holiday season:
Buy
Give
- Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity
- Foundation 2
- Horizons, A Family Service Alliance
- The Arc
- United We March Forward
Grow
- Affordable Transportation
- Bowers Chiropractic
- Five Seasons Media
- Office Express
- The Shell
Over the next several weeks, community members will read, see and hear stories about these local businesses and non-profits, which play a significant role in our local economy and business community.
More on Buy • Give • Grow can be found here: www.cedarrapids.org/buygivegrow.
