CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Area Alliance has announced a new campaign to support our local, regional and state economies working through the COVID-19 pandemic and plans to recover from it.
“Keep it Local Kanawha Valley” was rolled out by leaders of the Charleston Area Alliance (CAA) in time for the holiday shopping, which leaders call a critical time for Kanawha County businesses.
“We intend for this campaign to be more than just a “buy local” initiative,” Steve Rubin, interim president/CEO of the CAA said.
“We want individuals to support local, but also want our local governments and organizations to examine where they do business or buy materials and explore local solutions for those needs. We couldn’t think of a better time to announce this campaign than during National Small Business Week.”
Jordan Ferrell with the CAA told 580-WCHS that the organization has had to change the ways it connected with local. Normally the CAA holds many in-person events for connections.
The campaign came when the Alliance assembled a COVID Economic Recovery Committee to address the immediate, short-term and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and create strategies for economic recovery, according to a news release.
Alliance staff and individuals from other local organizations selected the “Keep it Local Kanawha Valley” campaign branding and logo from designs submitted as part of a logo contest held in June.
Ferrell said local consumers should be deliberate with purchasing choices in the coming months.
“Where you are going to buy your fall flowers, where you’re going to choose to take your family to dinner, where you are buying your meat and groceries. Choosing local and then sharing it with your friends, family and then the Alliance,” she said.
Consumers can use the hashtag #KeepItLocalKV to participate and share with the CAA.
“Keep it Local Kanawha Valley” is made possible by support received from the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.
For more information about the “Keep it Local Kanawha Valley” campaign, visit CharlestonAreaAlliance.org.