For quality of life and economic vitality reasons, I invite others to join me in a dialogue about philanthropy aimed at supporting the locally owned, independent business sector in our region.

In the words of Judy Wicks, co-founder of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), "By working cooperatively, locally owned businesses and conscious consumers can create an alternative to corporate globalization that brings power back to our communities by building sustainable local economies -- living economies that support both natural and community life."

Many residents of the Chico area truly love living here. It's also true that the Chico area faces immense economic challenges. Leaders in our community are addressing these challenges in a variety of ways, one of which is to strengthen the local economy by preventing dollars from leaking out of our region – otherwise known as economic leakage.

Money that stays in our community improves our parks, police and fire departments, and our schools. We receive tangible benefits by choosing to spend our money at local businesses when we have the opportunity.

Think Local Chico (TLC) is in formation to generate support for the issue of local living economies and raise awareness among consumers, business owners and public representatives. Our guidepost is a vision of a world where communities retain their own unique characteristics instead of looking and feeling the same; where restaurant owners support local farmers; where manufacturing within a region is able to support an increasing percentage of that region's needs; where relationships are built and strengthened by the geographic and relational closeness of buyer and retailer; where our community is well-cared for because business owners see first-hand the impacts of their decisions.

For more information contact Jessica Rios 530-228-0120 or loverios@gmail.com.