These past few weeks, due to the increasing number of covid-19 cases, business establishments are forced to close to help encourage social distancing.
While most are struggling to keep afloat, others were forced to think of creative ways to keep their business in operation.
So if you have time to purchase goods, here are ways you can support small and local business in the age of this pandemic.
- Start small by treating yourself to a drive-through, pick-up, or delivery coffee etc. once a week because even a little gesture like this can mean a whole lot.
- No matter if you’re working from home or are in an office, find out what restaurants are open in your area and order lunch or dinner from them whenever you can.
- Or if you can’t leave the house at all, call restaurants directly and see if they’re doing delivery. If not, check out delivery apps, some of which are waiving their delivery fees right now, so that the money you spend goes directly to the business.
- Use a community group or just your social media to showcase the restaurants and food that are open and serving delicious food, and you might inspire others to do the same.
- You can also order from Asian restaurants during this time that are getting hit harder because of the racist stigma attached to the virus.
- If you live in an area that has bodegas, delis, or even family-run grocery stores, buy any food you need from them instead of visiting the big-box stores.
- See if you can get any dairy or produce from local farmers who might have products that aren’t going to restaurants or elsewhere right now.
- When it comes to buying gifts for anyone you know with a birthday coming up, try to get them from a local store or even a small business online.
- Since concerts and shows have been canceled, you can still show support by tuning in to any live-at-home concerts or events local musicians/artists/performers are having, and then sending any donations to their supported organization.
- And if you need to shop for anything online, consider a small business or even one that is trying to do good and help during the pandemic.
- Another way to support is to buy gift cards. You can either keep them and use them later, or you could even donate them to the staff that’s been affected by shorter shifts or no hours at all.
- And if you don’t have disposable income to spend right now, you can still like and share products from your favorite small businesses to increase their visibility and reach. Sometimes the smallest actions can make the biggest difference.
