My No. 1 goal with this column has always been to highlight small, local businesses in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, small business owners and small business employees are among those that have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. This week, I decided to do something a little different. Instead of focusing on one small business, I’ve decided to provide a list of ways to support small businesses during these trying times.
Buy a Gift Card
Do yourself a favor and give future you a little gift! Buy yourself or someone you love a gift card to your favorite small business. The money goes to the business right now, providing much needed relief. Later, when all of the businesses reopen, you can use the card to buy yourself something nice. It’s a win-win situation for both you and your favorite businesses!
Order Takeout
This idea is probably one of the more obvious entries on this list, but please order takeout from your favorite local restaurants. Different restaurants have different takeout procedures, so look into what your favorite restaurants are doing right now. Some are only accepting phone orders, some have drive-thrus in place, some are allowing customers to place orders in person and carry them out and some are available on apps such as UberEats and DoorDash. Many food delivery apps are even waiving delivery fees and offering discounts to encourage people to order from local restaurants.
Shop Online
Many people use sites such as Etsy or Poshmark to earn a supplemental income. That extra income could be a lifesaver right now. Is quarantine giving you major cabin fever right now? Buy yourself a crafting kit or a gardening kit from Etsy! Does the news cycle leave you feeling stressed out or sad? Buy yourself something nice from Poshmark or buy a bath soak from Etsy. There are many other similar sites which give people a chance to earn some much needed money, so check them out!
Tip!
Tips are absolutely vital for so many small business employees right now. If you order food from a local restaurant, please give the staff a bigger tip than what you normally would. Many of them are risking their health or foregoing time with their kids so you can eat. Additionally, so many small businesses would not be able to function right now if it weren’t for postal workers and delivery drivers. Please give your Postmates drivers generous tips. Even if you never come face to face with them, feel free to leave little gifts for your Amazon delivery people and your postal workers.
Join an Aid Group
A lot of Facebook groups are emerging to help provide relief for those in need, including small business owners and employees. The largest group in Oklahoma is Oklahoma Mutual Aid, but jump online and check out the groups in your area. These groups are an awesome option for people that want to help but might not be in a position to provide monetary support. There are so many free ways to help out, and these groups are perfect for coordinating that. For instance, you may be able to donate food or hygiene supplies to those in need. You could deliver food and supplies to those that are housebound because they are at a higher risk. If you are in need of help, you should also look into joining an aid group. No matter what you need, there’s sure to be at least one person in the group who can help you find what you’re looking for.
Just Reach Out
As stated in my last point, not all support has to be monetary in nature. Just reaching out to someone that’s hurting can really mean a lot. Weirdly enough, one quote that keeps popping into my mind during all of this actually comes from the Netflix show, “Bojack Horseman:”
“In this terrifying world, all we have are the connections that we make.”
Now more than ever, it’s important to keep our connections with others strong. So please reach out and check up on anyone that you think needs extra support right now.
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