By Mary Alice Scott
The month of November brings lots of memories and traditions for many people. That is especially the case for the world of local businesses.
For Portland Buy Local, it’s the month of one of our perennial favorites: the return of our Holiday Gift Guide.
Tune in to Maine Public’s Maine Calling on November 12th at 11 a.m.
We’ll be on the Maine Gift Guide show once again this year to highlight our Gift Guide alongside other local makers and gifting experts.
You can also look for our Buy Local Gift Guide as an insert in the Portland Press Herald on Black Friday this year! Black Friday conjures the image of swarms of people rushing to buy cheap goods at big box stores. We want to change that. We’re hoping the sight of our Gift Guide will act as a reminder to shop local.
Thanksgiving offers a chance to support local farms and native communities.
Of course, November is more than the official beginning of the holiday shopping season. It also includes one of our country’s most widely celebrated holidays: Thanksgiving. After the past eighteen months, one may find it harder to find things to be grateful for, but Thanksgiving remains a wholesome opportunity to rest and reflect.
The legend of Thanksgiving is particularly relevant to local food enthusiasts in New England. The original meal supposedly consisted of the season’s harvest not too far from here. Given that history, it’s most appropriate to go out of your way to support local farms and local grocers for this meal. It’s also an opportunity to research the native communities whose land we occupy, and to support the local businesses owned by members of those communities.
This year, Giving Tuesday also falls in November.
On November 30th, nonprofit and community-based organizations around the country lift up their missions and ask for donations to support their work. Just as local businesses contribute to the local economy and community, local nonprofits and community-based organizations are critical, too.
Small, local nonprofits often have better connections with the communities they serve. And your dollars go further – and stay in the local community – when you donate to local organizations.
There are so many chances to seek out and support local businesses and nonprofits this month. It’s a wonderful time to appreciate these organizations and be thankful for the sense of community and the services they provide to our city.
Mary Alice Scott is Executive Director of Portland Buy Local. The West End News is a Portland Buy Local member and media partner.
