Always thinking of everything is exhausting. There I said it. You know it and I do too. Whether you are a local nonprofit leader or a local business, you wear many hats.

Sometimes we can help take at least part of one hat off your overloaded head. From time to time we produce social media campaigns that promote shopping locally. This fall campaign is about making the choice to not only shop local, but to live local.

We invite you to utilize this campaign of Choice. Please feel free to use this campaign to promote living local in your community. Each of the posts is conveniently located in our Campaign Collection in Airtable, making it easy for you to grab what you want to use. The lower left of each graphic has space for your logo should you decide to insert it. The campaign includes five posts with art and copy. We’ll be posting these ourselves through October.

The following is a short blog about living local. Each paragraph can be used independently and is included in the collections of campaigns link above. If you use just this text, please credit the Local Business Institute. And don’t forget to tag us if you use this campaign!

What does Live Local mean?

It means you participate in your local community as much as possible—from where you choose to shop to getting involved in local policy. It’s choosing to play an active role in the direction of your community and exercising your choices to embrace your local culture, economy and lifestyle. Living Local creates a life of authentic experiences, genuine to your community rather than national cookie cutters.

Every dollar you spend is a vote for the kind of businesses and services you want in your community. It’s easy to see that your dollars support the local businesses you’d like to have in your neighborhood, but look closer at what supports your community. From governmental policies to volunteerism—all help, hinder, support or direct the elements that make your community a wonderful place to live. 

Your involvement matters. Our days are made up of choices in where to spend your time, energy, focus, resources and more. Make the choice to Live Local whenever and wherever possible. Take the Live Local Pledge: https://localbusinessinstitute.org/live-local-pledge

—Rebecca Melançon, Local Business Institute