With city-wide shutdowns spreading across the nation, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to stay afloat. They still have rent and other overhead costs to cover, not to mention supporting their staff as best they can. If you are looking for ways to support your favorite small businesses like restaurants, hair salons, gyms, and the like, keep reading for creative ways to give back during this crisis.
Purchase Gift Cards
While you likely cannot patronize your hair salon or your favorite spa to get your hair and eyebrows done, you can still help them financially by purchasing digital gift cards. This option is a win for everyone since you’ll be looking out for your post-quarantine edges, while doing what you can to keep a small business afloat. If your salon doesn’t have an option for digital gift cards, consider sending the price of a service, like $50 for lash extensions, to your technician. This way, they can pay their bills and still be in business when this crisis is over.
Order Takeout or Delivery
In many cities, restaurants are still open for business but at a limited capacity. You can do your part to keep your local eateries alive by ordering your favorite plates to-go or via a delivery service. Many services like Uber Eats, PostMates, and GrubHub are offering no-contact deliveries to your doorstep to keep you and delivery staff safe. At least while you can, give your local restaurant a call and give your kitchen at home a much needed break.
Make Donations to Support Individuals and Families in Need
With many small businesses closing their doors indefinitely, some of the hardest hit are those staff members who have been laid off with limited options for employment.
The public has responded quickly by standing up charities, foundations, and GoFundMe pages to support our brothers and sisters in need. Here are just a few charities helping families and individuals in their time of need:
● A Better Chicago Emergency Relief Fund: to provide immediate and necessary funds to grantees and exceptional organizations serving low-income youth and families.
● Emergency Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund: providing cash assistance to restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more who are in need.
● Feeding America: Every dollar given to this organization will be used to fund local food banks across the nation to offer increased support to families.
● First Book: Committed to deploying 7 millions books to students across America who lack resources to continue their education amidst school shutdowns. Donations support the purchase and dissemination of books to students in need.
● GoFundMe Covid-19 Relief Fund: For those who don’t know where their money is needed most, GoFundMe will distribute funds from its relief fund to the various (vetted) Covid-19 campaigns on its platform.
Shop Online
Across America, our favorite retailers have been forced to close their physical doors to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. However, most retailers–both large and small– have set up online shops to keep your favorite products coming and their businesses running. If a local store you love is closed, look for their online store to buy quarantine gifts for your friends or yourself.
And, as we mentioned before, if products are not yet available online, a gift card purchase can go a long way.
Shop Local
Even in cities where many businesses have closed, essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies remain open. Whenever possible, try to shop local for those essential items like food and medicine so that your local store owners can continue to serve your neighbors. It’s likely that the smaller grocery stores and pharmacies will have a bigger selection and small crowds, which these days is hard to find.
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