Take action & Support the community

Are you itching to do more to support small businesses and individuals affected by coronavirus pandemic? So are we. As a small local business, we want to do our best to support the communities we serve. Here's a list of things you can do to support small local businesses, or individuals struggling.

• Find meals distributed by public schools and other organizations, Learn more.

• Consider making a donation to Food for Free, the Greater Boston Food Bank, or Community Servings.
• Support local businesses by ordering take-out, purchasing gift cards, or even share words of solidarity. Here are a list of locally owned businesses that may need your support. Jamaica Plain Local first, Belmont-Watertown Local First, Cambridge Local First, and Waltham small businesses.
• Support local artists! Send a deposit for commissioned work, or offer to send a visa gift card for art supplies. Find them on social media, or check out these SoWa Artists. If you are an artist, Boston Artist Relief Fund will award grants of $500 and $1000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Learn more
• Cambridge virtual tip jar. HSBA’s newest member, Jessica Sculley, founder of the Commonwealth Wine School, which is slated to open in early summer, created a Cambridge Virtual Tip Jar for people to donate tips individually to service workers who are out of work, or dealing with reduced hours
• Cambridge Health Alliance is asking for donations of personal protective equipment. Donations can be dropped off 24/7 with CHA Public Safety at the main entrance of Cambridge, Everett, and Somerville Hospitals.
• Boston COVID-19 Community Care: The spreadsheet offers a round-up of community connections, providing contact information for people who are offering childcare, housing, healthcare resources, financial aid, educational resources, tips for free entertainment during quarantine/social distancing, and food.

• Order books, gift cards online from Trident Booksellers, Harvard Book Store, Porter Square Books, and Brookline Booksmiths.