Support local this holiday season with GROW Nebraska gift boxes

Support local this holiday season with GROW Nebraska gift boxes

by | Sep 23, 2021 | GROW Blog

Support local business this holiday season with GROW Nebraska gift boxes

Boxes that say "this box supports Nebraska businesses"

Every holiday season, millions of dollars leave local economies as gifts are purchased at big box stores and national chains. 

gift box with popcorn, beef jerky and pickled asparagus

In the rush to complete Christmas shopping lists, consumers often pick the big retailer that only leaves 43% of the sale in the local economy. When the same amount is spent at a local business, 68% of the money stays local. 

For the second year in a row, the GROW Nebraska Foundation is offering shoppers an easy way to make sure they’re supporting their state with customizable gift boxes. 

“When you choose to build a gift box with GROW, you’re making an intentional choice to support Nebraskans,” said GROW Nebraska CEO Janell Anderson Ehrke. “Every item you chose to put in there supports a small business who can truly use your support. It means the world to them.”

GROW’s program allows for individuals to build their own boxes and for corporations to order hundreds of boxes for employee or client gifts. 

In either case, gift buyers can build a box, starting at just $20, picking Nebraska-made items from a selection of more than 3,000 products available at the Buy Nebraska Store and BuyNebraska.com. 

All purchasers need to do is choose the items they want, tell GROW Nebraska where to ship them, and then sit back and relax. 

Boxes can also include a personalized note or logo sticker, so the recipient knows who the generous gifter is. 

Last year, corporate gift boxes sent from just one Nebraska organization proved to be a light at the end of the tunnel for 28 small businesses after the tribulations of 2020. 

For example, RCK Creations, located in Alda, sold around 1,200 tumblers. Nutt Family Jams & Jellies of Ravenna completely sold out of their inventory. 

“Though 2021 is proving to be a more positive year than the last, a fluctuating economy and continuously changing health regulations still leave clouds of doubt over the holiday season for many small business owners,” Anderson Ehrke said. “We’re hoping our gift boxes can again be a lifeline for Nebraska businesses.”To learn more about the program, or inquire about creating your own gift boxes, email info@grownebraska.org.

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Nebraska Children and Families Foundation Gives the Gift of Nebraska

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation Gives the Gift of Nebraska

by | Sep 28, 2020 | GROW Blog

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation Gives the Gift of Nebraska

When Jennifer Skala wanted to give her out-of-state colleagues a taste of Nebraska, she knew that GROW Nebraska® could help.

Skala, senior vice president of the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, was planning to host child advocacy professionals from around the country in Nebraska this spring. She wanted to show off Nebraska as other states had done when she visited their workshops.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the workshop to happen virtually instead. Skala couldn’t give tours of Nebraska attractions and give her colleagues a taste of Dorothy Lynch salad dressing or Nebraska beef.

So, she turned to GROW Nebraska®. The Nebraska Children and Families Foundation bought 105 gift cards valued at $35 each to be used to purchase anything on GROW’s Buy Nebraska website.

Skala said many people outside of Nebraska have misconceptions about the state, and she thought GROW Nebraska® would be a great way to showcase the great products and entrepreneurs in Nebraska and maybe dispel some of those misconceptions.

“I thought it would be great to share GROW Nebraska® because of all the things that are created here, and I think it’s really important that we support each other in economic opportunities, especially right now,” Skala said.

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Jessie Harris, Director of Marketing and Business Development for GROW Nebraska®, said the gift card purchases directly support Nebraska businesses.

“It’s a great example of being ‘Nebraska Strong’ and supporting one another,” Harris said. “During COVID-19, this kind of purchase can help keep small businesses’ doors open.”

The Nebraska Children and Families Foundation is a 22-year-old non-profit organization that focuses on providing resources and forming partnerships to help Nebraska kids and families thrive. They do so through initiatives and programs, such as supporting and encouraging after-school programs and early childhood education initiatives and helping foster children successfully transition into adulthood.

If you would like to purchase GROW Nebraska gift cards, please email info@grownebraska.org.

GROW Nebraska® Foundation is a statewide non-profit training and marketing organization. Serving over 400 Nebraska small businesses, the organization provides marketing opportunities, education, and training to launch and connect Nebraska businesses to the global marketplace. GROW Nebraska’s educational programs receive federal and state funding, along with generous support from foundations and individual donors.

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