We started BuyLocalNJ in November 2018 because we saw the need to support our local businesses. Without our main street businesses, our communities would suffer and the downtowns would be left with empty storefronts. With COVID-19, our NJ businesses need the community support more than ever. That is why we have continued our BuyLocalNJ series with livestreams and videos for towns like Berkeley Heights and New Providence.
It is exciting to see that the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce has come up with its own campaign called “Buy NJ” to urge companies and consumers to purchase goods and services from New Jersey-based businesses, especially small businesses, as the state reopens and recovers from the pandemic.
Here is the statement from the Chamber CEO Tom Bracken:
New Jerseyans came together to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Now it is time for businesses and consumers across the state to come together and raise the state’s economic curve and ‘Buy NJ’ whenever possible.
For the reopening of New Jersey’s economy to succeed, small business must succeed.
In 2019, there were more than 860,000 small businesses in New Jersey employing 1.8 million people — almost half of the private-sector workforce. If the reopening of New Jersey’s economy is going to succeed, we need small businesses to get back on their feet quickly.
One way to help stimulate additional revenues for small business is to “Buy NJ.” We should all look first to buy goods and services from New Jersey-based small businesses when and where we can.
I would encourage business leaders, as they review vendor and supplier lists, to buy from New Jersey companies and especially remember to support minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned and LGBT businesses in our state.
I urge consumers to shop and dine at New Jersey establishments, and, when possible, visit the state’s downtowns to support businesses there.
We have seen our state and national economies rebound from recessions, depressions, wars and natural disasters. There is no reason to believe we cannot rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Let’s put our money on New Jersey.
