Asheville Grown Business Alliance announces:
We are proud to announce that with the participation of over 400 locally owned, independent businesses the 2014 Go Local Card was able to raise $7,720 for our city’s public schools, $8,240 for the Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF) and $7,825 for the Asheville Grown Business Alliance (AGBA). Thanks to the success of the card, in 2015 AGBA is able to assume the full responsibility of the Go Local Card initiative so ACSF can pursue other fantastic programs for our schools. By streamlining the administrative costs, our goal is that local schools and businesses will see even more benefits from this community-wide fundraiser. Investing in the future of Asheville’s children and our local economy to build a strong and vibrant community is a priority for this program. The price of the 2015 card will be $16 with $8 going directly to an Asheville city public school and $8 remaining with AGBA to administer and grow the program. Card sales start Dec. 1, 2014.
For the 2015 card we are spicing things up and are delighted to introduce Indie to our community (see attached image). Indie is a playful character designed by local artist Jenny Fares of Sound Mind Creative in the River Arts District. A passionate advocate for our entrepreneurs and our local economy, Indie engages our community to find businesses who honor the 2015 Go Local Card. Starting Dec. 1, 2014 you will find these decals in the windows of participating businesses. With an artistic design that is full of heart and through stories and creative programs, Indie also helps connect our schools to the movement.
We are also working with Alice Oglesby of io design & illustration and OnHaywood.com to launch a brand new, directory-driven website in October. With an elegant, simple and responsive interface our goal is to professionally highlight participating businesses who have chosen to participate in this dynamic collective and to create an easily navigable site to accompany the card.
As always, there is no cost for qualifying businesses to participate. As a community organization, we feel lucky that we are able to provide you with these resources. Businesses will be featured on our new website. Businesses who sign on by October 30th will also be listed in 45,000 copies of the Go Local Directory printed and distributed by the Mountain Xpress, 29,000 of which will be inserted in the December 3rd edition and the other 16,000 distributed in town and with card sales throughout the year.
Each year, as we add more businesses to the program, the movement grows stronger. This card celebrates the interdependence of our businesses to each other and our schools.
Please spread the word to your networks and your favorite locally owned businesses. This powerful little card connects small businesses to each other and directly with the people who can experience what they do best.
If you have a locally owned, independent business, follow THIS LINK to sign your business up today and join over 400 entrepreneurs who help make this program available to our community.
Contact: Franzi Charen, Director Asheville Grown Business Alliance, ashevillegrown@gmail.com
i fully support the program, but this design is fuuugly.