Why buy and hire local in 2010?

 Buying local strengthens regional economies, since locally-owned businesses are more likely to rely on local sources and spend their profits locally.   Whenever you shop, take time to think about how your choices impact the places where you live, work, and play.

For more information on Michiana initiatives to support our regional economy, see www.michianacurrency.org and www.sholo.org.

1) Find local merchants at www.sholo.org and look for local workers at www.ecwt.org.

2) Think about ways to shop at independent businesses -- whether it's an oil change you need or an objet d'art, a furnace filter, fixed faucet or that First Friday treasure.

3) Participate in upcoming First Friday events in South Bend or Goshen.

4) Tell local shop owners and workers that you value their presence in the community, even if you're just replacing a broken watchband or buying a shower curtain.

5) Encourage local businesses to join ShoLo and Michiana Community Currency.

SEND YOUR IDEAS for other community building actions to: info@michianacurrency.org.

    Meet MAC
 

Residents of the South Bend area are working to revitalize the downtown areas in South Bend and nearby towns, and to enrich community life in our region by developing a "community currency" to serve this region.  By placing value on local good and services, community currencies can give our cities more control over our choices of jobs and the quality of life in our community.  We will begin circulating Michiana's new currency soon, so stay tuned!   Contact us to find out how you can help make this initiative work in our region.

 

News

Michiana Area Currency (MAC) project update

See how "local" is growing as people with diverse interests and passions seek new ways to be community!These include green-friendly living supported through IUSB's Center for a Sustainable Future, strengthening the local economy with Elkhart County Works Together, and supporting local business through the ShoLo "shop local" initiative.

You can test out the idea of local currency, too, by finding local people who need work and who can provide skills and services you may need.

Encourage those you know who are un- or underemployed to join the Michiana Area Currency network and get our community working again!  

Sign up at Elkhart County Skills Bank to have your services/skills listed in our directory. Be sure to include Michiana Area Currency (or MAC) in the "referred by" field.  

To hire a local worker, click the ECWT Finding Skills page to find people in your area who have the skills you need to make home repairs, do desktop publishing, cater events, shovel snow, teach music lessons....and more!

Plus, check the MCC media page for more on local community gardens and food coops that support local agriculture and local producers -- all keeping your dollars in Michiana.

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