Success Stories
Local businesses that have made the shift are sharing their BUY IN success stories. If your business has made the shift and has a success story it would like to share, click here.
J.P. Gasway – July 16, 2009
For our company, the decision to “BUY IN” was an easy one. As a long time member of the Chamber, being supportive of an exciting, new initiative to promote the idea of buying goods and services locally was a “no brainer.” How can we (we being the residents and fellow workers in Linn County, including the Greater Cedar Rapids area) lose? I mailed the registration postcard in the Chamber newsletter right away!
It has been determined that a shift of 5% of existing purchases from outside the area, to Linn County, would provide an additional $400,000,000 in money staying in the community. This money would provide 2000 new jobs, and circulate through the county many times over. The current state of the economy and continued flood recovery efforts only add to the reasons to participate in “Buy In.” Of course, at times, it may not possible to always buy locally. In those instances, buying Iowa helps all of us, as well.
Being a local business, we know that our company and the thousands of businesses in the community, can benefit from this program. Similar endeavors in other cities have shown us that it can work. It has in places like Des Moines and Iowa City, to name a few.
Buying local is about more than statistics. Buying local is about getting, and giving the personal touch with each transaction, that makes business so worthwhile. It is also about quality service, money staying here, more local hiring, and continued growth opportunities for the “whole.” More than anything, “Buy In” is about conducting business with your neighbor, which makes this program so satisfying.
As of this writing, approximately 110 businesses have signed up, and 25 have reported shifting some purchases to local suppliers. There really is little reason not to target 100% participation. I encourage you all to contact Jeff Schamberger at the Chamber, and request to be part of this movement. We will all be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Scott Gasway
President
J.P. Gasway Company
J.P. Gasway is a local company providing printing and imaging papers, office products, packaging supplies, and custodial products. They have been part of the community since 1935.
Sponsors
BUY IN is a Cedar Rapids Area Chamber initiative, however this effort would not have been possible without the following sponsoring organizations, who, together, have contributed in-kind products and services to help launch the BUY IN campaign. These sponsors have not only supported the launch of this campaign, but have also pledged to BUY IN and shift 5% of their buying power into local Linn County businesses.
- Internet Marketing Group
Thank you BUY IN sponsors!