Small businesses are the backbone of our local communities. While the economic fallout of the pandemic has hurt this sector overall, locally owned restaurants and eateries have been hit the hardest.
That’s why we’re collaborating with the Hudson County Chamber Foundation, Inc. to launch Love Your Local, a fundraising campaign to support local food businesses – restaurants, coffee shops, delis, bakeries, and so on.
The concept behind local place-making is not new. Originating in the 60’s by writers and activists like Jane Jacobs, it offers groundbreaking ideas about the importance of lively neighborhoods and inviting public spaces.
However, the move to build desirable local communities where people want to live, work and play is being reimagined today in lots of new and exciting ways.
From real estate developers that are creating inclusive, equitable communities that thrive through their Whole Neighborhood Approach like our colleagues at Shift Capital in Philadelphia to the folks at Kearny Point who are accelerating green, equitable economic growth in Kearny, NJ this is not your grandparents urban or suburban living.
Many of these approaches are part of a community wealth building approach that supports asset ownership and small business development to anchor jobs locally, help achieve environmental goals, and ensure local economic stability.
Pop culture is even getting in on the movement with shows like HGTV’s Home Town, that highlight individuals who return to their home town of Laurel Mississippi to raise their families and rebuild the community.
To drive solutions that shape the future of our own hometown of Hudson County, NJ, Melarbit Impact Partners has joined forces with our colleagues at Dennison Associates, a management consulting firm specializing in community development, to form a new initiative called HudsonImpact!
In future blog posts, we’ll be sharing more about HudsonImpact! and our collective impact model of collaborating and convening key stakeholders to solve pressing social problems and build a vibrant Hudson County community.
In the meantime, reach out to us at info@melarbit.com to talk more about your own interest and pursuits in local place-making. We’re always interested in learning about new initiatives and perhaps featuring them in future blogs.