With a Goal of Increasing Consumer Awareness and Education on the Importance of Spending Locally to Keep Communities Healthy
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Time Equities, Inc. (TEI), a full-service real estate firm, along with Entertain Impact’s Campaign Fund, a non-profit vehicle that enables people to support social impact campaigns, announced today the launch of Go Local, a philanthropic campaign to increase awareness and education on the importance of shopping locally. Small businesses play an essential role in sustaining the health and vitality of a community. Go Local aims to educate and incentivize consumers to spend locally (online or in person) for their day-to-day retail and service needs–from hair and nail salons to the local toy store.
Go Local comes at a time when small businesses have been hit hard amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and related economic downturn. When people support local, independent businesses, they are also actively investing in their schools, roads, parks, and infrastructure to make their community strong and resilient. In fact, for every $1 spent at a local business, 45 cents go back into the community (source). As part of the campaign, consumers are invited to pledge their commitment to redirect 10% of their spending toward small businesses in their area. Those that take the pledge will be eligible for discounts at their favorite local businesses.
“The negative impact that one-click buying from major e-commerce platforms has on local economies and, in turn, communities is an issue that Entertain Impact has wanted to tackle for years, but one that is more timely today than ever before,” said Paul M. Katz, Founder and CEO of social impact agency Entertain Impact. “We’re excited to launch Go Local in support of the small business community and proud to have Time Equities as a founding partner to help get things off the ground.”
The campaign launches with an initial focus on 22 retail locations across the Midwest (listed below), particularly in Illinois and Wisconsin, where Time Equities represents a concentration of small businesses that have been badly hurt by the economy over the last few months. Beyond Time Equities, the Go Local campaign comprises a coalition of small business owners, community leaders, landlords, and community-conscious residents. Entertain Impact is actively seeking additional partner support to contribute to its Campaign Fund with the goal of expanding Go Local across the United States to help more small businesses throughout 2021.
“When we opened in 2015, we were welcomed with open arms by the local community,” says Niki Puto, co-owner of Bogart’s Smokehouse. “Our regulars have become family, and we’ve celebrated many of their and our milestones together. Their love and support during Covid-19 has been overwhelming! From the minute we had to close, to reopening with a limited curbside menu, to reopening our dining room, they have been there for us 100% and beyond.”
Go Local emphasizes spending at local businesses as directly as possible, either online or in person, rather than using third party platforms where possible. The campaign seeks to remind consumers that even with COVID restrictions, there are still many ways to support small businesses by ordering online or for curbside pickup, ordering takeout from restaurants, purchasing giftcards to be used now or later, engaging and sharing on social media, and more. Go Local is providing participating businesses with campaign collateral including social media toolkits to engage their customer base to spend at small businesses.
“Reviving small, local businesses across the country and positively impacting local communities is crucial during these challenging times, especially as businesses wait for a hopeful second stimulus bill,” said Francis Greenburger, Chairman and CEO of TEI. “We are very passionate about not only encouraging, but educating people to think of their spending income as a means of investing in their own communities. This campaign is a call-to-action to shop locally at your community’s small retailers, so that these businesses that make up the fabric of any community do not go dark.”
For more information on Go Local campaign, sponsorship opportunities, social media toolkits, and educational materials, please visit www.golocalcampaign.com or email [email protected]
About Time Equities, Inc.
Founded in 1966, Time Equities, Inc. (“TEI”) has been in the real estate investment, development, and asset and property management business for more than 50 years. TEI currently holds in its own portfolio approximately 34.7 million square feet of residential, industrial, office and retail property including about 5,000 multi-family apartment units, approximately 570,000 square feet in pending acquisitions, and 1 million square feet of various property types in stages of pre-development and development. With 323 properties across 33 states, 5 Canadian provinces, Anguilla, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Scotland, the TEI portfolio benefits from a diversity of property types, sizes and markets. There are concentrations in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West Coast of the U.S., and new markets around the world are always being evaluated.
About Entertain Impact
Entertain Impact is a social impact agency that elevates the issues that matter, builds coalitions, and drives movements to create a better, socially just world. Pioneering the field of cause influence for more than 15 years, we leverage the power of popular culture and celebrity to create campaigns that make a difference. A collective of thinkers, doers, connectors, and communicators, we work exclusively with philanthropic, social justice, and purpose-driven business organizations, raising awareness, engagement, and support on their behalf. Doing good isn’t just our specialty, it’s our sole focus.
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Press Contact:
Abby Drapeau