Support your community: shop Local for the holidays

Kyoko Jackson — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:23:00 GMT

One simple way to Support Local Businesses is to Shop Locally.

Did you know for every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures? If you spend $100 in a national chain, only $43 stays in the city. Wow! Of course if you spend online then zero dollars comes home.

Thanks to the data provided by www.civiceconomics.com, I’ve decided to shop locally for all my holiday gifts this year. How about you?

Make a Small Loan and Make a Big Difference - Check out Kiva.org to Learn How!

Elisa Uribe — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:49:00 GMT

I am so excited to share with you what I just did. I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva (www.kiva.org).

You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Salaevalu Matila in Samoa. They still need another $650.00 to complete their loan request of $1,075.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). Help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Salaevalu Matila too:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=68057

It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time. Remember the more you give, the more you receive. Maybe today you'll give through Kiva.org

Elisa Uribe : entrepreneurs

Support your community: shop Local for the holidays

Make a Small Loan and Make a Big Difference - Check out Kiva.org to Learn How!