Monadnock Buy Local

Originally published in the Monadnock Shopper News

“Buy Local” and “Local First” initiatives are popping up across the country, and it’s not just for-profit businesses supporting this movement. Non-profit organizations are joining the membership ranks as well, wanting to contribute to this movement’s mission and recognize how important the independent business community is to their success.

While one donation from one locally-owned business may be small, when considered together, contributions from all locally-owned businesses are huge. In fact, one study found that non-profit organizations receive an average of 350% greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

Donations from locally-owned businesses can support non-profits in a multitude of ways.  Below are just four examples highlighting how Monadnock Buy Local non-profits are supported by our area’s independent businesses.

Supporting Annual Fundraising Events:

The Cornucopia Project in Hancock teaches children and adults about organic gardening–believing individuals best understand where their food comes from when they grow, harvest and eat it themselves.

An annual fundraising and community-building event called “Evening in the Garden” supports the Cornucopia Project’s school-based and community-based gardening programs throughout the year. This fundraiser, supported largely by local businesses, brings over 230 people together and raises $15,000.  Some of the locally-owned businesses that make the “Evening in the Garden” a success, either through event sponsorship or product donations, include:

Achille Agway, Chesham Consulting, Aesop’s Tables, The Waterhouse Restaurant, Monadnock Paper Mill, Lake Sunapee Bank, New England Forest Products, FirstTracks Marketing, Flashpoint Technologies, Crotched Mountain Foundation, Yankee Publishing, Roy’s Market, Nature’s Green Grocer, Bakery 42, Dottie Cullinane Massage, Louise Clayton Designs, Michael Petrovich Architects, Clarke Distributors, Hancock Baskets, Ideal Compost, Monadnock Music, Plowshare Farm and Walpole Creamery.

“Without the support of these businesses, we would not be able to make a difference in so many young students’ lives,” shared Sandra Faber, Assistant Director of the Cornucopia Project.  “When nutrition, healthy eating habits, sustainability and the social, environmental and economic impact of ‘keeping it local’ are taught at a young age, it becomes a way of living.”

Donating Materials for Specific Projects:

Southwestern Community Services (SCS) in Keene provides direct assistance, reduces stressors, and advocates for low income people and families. C&S Wholesale supports multiple projects benefiting the SCS Head Start program.

In 2010, C&S donated a warming hut for Head Start families, giving them a comfortable place to wait in before the doors open and for transportation to and from SCS.  C&S also bought the materials for, constructed, stored and delivered 19 raised garden beds at five SCS Head Start centers (across Sullivan and Cheshire Counties) for their Early Sprouts Program.  They also paid for five truckloads of soil from Ground Up Landscaping Materials and had it delivered to each Head Start site.

“With the generous donation from C&S, we have been able to expand our Early Sprouts Nutrition and Gardening Program this year, bringing the fun of gardening and a love of growing, and eating, vegetables to more than two hundred Head Start children and families,” said Jennifer Kozaczek, SCS Head Start Nutrition Services Manager.

Offering In-Kind Donations to Reduce Costs:

The Colonial Theatre in Keene is a historic performing arts center offering award winning live performances and films to our community.  It receives support from numerous locally-owned businesses in the form of cash donations, but also benefits from substantial in-kind donations from area businesses such as Economy Mechanical Services, Silver Direct, True North Networks and Hamblet Electric, Inc.

“The annual maintenance expenses for the building and theatre equipment represent about 10% of The Colonial’s operating budget,” stated Alec Doyle, Executive Director of The Colonial Theatre.  “It would be even higher if not for the in-kind support we receive from Economy Mechanical Services and other service providers in the community.  When we had one of our $30,000 air conditioning units go down this summer, not only did Economy Mechanical respond quickly; they donated a portion of the installation, saving The Colonial thousands of dollars.”

Contributing to Large Capital Campaigns through Tax Credits

Another cinema, The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, is housed in an 89 year-old building in downtown Jaffrey in need of restoration.  The Theatre’s programs have attracted more than 5,700 patrons to downtown Jaffrey since 2007. Its restoration campaign included selling $500,000 in tax credits.

“The Theatre has received significant support from the area’s businesses,” said The Park Theatre’s Campaign Chair Donald Upton.  “New Hampshire’s tax credit program makes it possible for businesses to donate to the Theatre with their tax dollars, and, in effect, gives the business the ability to contribute ten times what it otherwise might be able to do.”

Thirty companies donated to The Park Theatre through the CDFA Tax Credit Program including Baybutt Construction Managers, Frazier & Sons Factory Furniture Store, Lynn C. Rust, CPA, Roy’s Market and Sequoya Technologies Group.

These four non-profits give their thanks to the Monadnock independent business community by contributing to this article and becoming a member of Monadnock Buy Local.  Are you involved with a non-profit that receives support from an independent business, or do you own of a locally-owned business?  Please share your story with Monadnock Buy Local: monadnockbuylocal@gmail.com.

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