The best way to strengthen your community is by supporting local businesses. The policies that are coming down from the government can be confusing and difficult to navigate, but there’s one thing you can do right now: support locally owned businesses. When you make a purchase at a locally-owned business, the money stays in the area instead of being shipped off to another country or state.

Locally-owned businesses also tend to hire more people from their own community as well as contribute more back into the community through donations and volunteer work than chain stores do. Supporting locally-owned businesses strengthens both your economy and sense of place!