Anna Lee Mraz Bartra. Peninsula 360 Press [P360]
If your plan was to go and buy all your gifts shortly before the date indicated and now you won't be able to do so because many shops will be closed or restricted and you'll probably have to stand in long queues to get in. Better buy online and buy locally.
Local small businesses enrich the community and strengthen the structures of the social fabric. First, they provide opportunities for asset ownership. When people own property, they develop the habit of thinking ahead and are more interested in local issues.
Those who do not have property can be surrounded by examples of small local entrepreneurs and thus be inspired to become owners themselves and to commit themselves to the community as well.
Large chains and department stores reduce these ownership opportunities. Small local businesses also help cultivate trust among citizens, while large chains and online retailers such as Amazon tend to encourage anonymity.
Trust between citizens is a vital part of a healthy community and is built through reciprocal relationships that are fostered in places like local businesses, where individuals meet and exchange goods and services. In regular face-to-face interactions, trust is built, and trust helps to nurture neighborhood and communality.
Instead of jumping on the Prime Day bandwagon and sending your dollars to Amazon, whose owner Jeff Bezos already has about $184.8 billion, you better
Consider buying local products.
A truly radical act would help local businesses and, in the process, strengthen the local communities in which we live.
Where and from whom to buy in San Mateo?
Cloud Soap
Ana Tobar is Salvadoran and has a small business where she makes handmade organic glycerin-based soaps, souvenirs and more.
You can find his lavender-scented packages including teddy bear towel on his Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nubesoap/?ref=page_internal
Send an email to nube.soap@gmail.com
Instagram @Nubesoap
Fantasy World Gelatins
Grisel Huitron is from Mexico City. She is a mother of 4 children and supports her sister in taking care of her two girls while she works. Her husband is at home since he lost his job due to the pandemic.
In the mornings he sold take-out and home cooked food such as enchiladas, pozole, chicharrón en salsa verde, empanizafas breasts, beans, rice, salads, golden tacos, pambazos; he changes the menu daily; and on the weekends he makes desserts such as figure jellies and other delicacies.
For this season he's making chocobombs. Delicious chocolate balls filled with chocolates that, on contact with warm milk, melt and leave the marshmallows floating.
You can call him at +1(650) 440-8848 to place orders or write him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lizeth.mendoza.5015
Sonia Decoratio
Sonia Martinez arrived in the Bay Area from El Salvador 16 years ago. She dedicated many years to the home and to the care of her 3 children who live with her and her husband, who is dedicated to laying wood floors. With the pandemic, her husband's business was severely affected so they had no choice but to innovate.
Now the family depends, in large part, on the sales of Sonia who makes food to order, decorations for birthday parties, anniversaries or weddings.
He learned to cook the well-known cake in El Salvador called Strawberry Cardinal that has a meringue base because he could not find anything like it in the area.
However, if you need something to give as a present this Christmas, Sonia also makes T-shirts to order for the design you ask for.
You can find it on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SoniaDecoparty/
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniadecoparty/
Yessi's Cake Creations
Yessi was born in Los Angeles to Latin American parents: half Salvadorian, half Mexican. She says she learned to make cakes "at YouTube University.
She made her first cake when she was 19 years old at her sister's house when she arrived at a birthday party and was invited to bake the cake. From then on, during the day she worked in a bank and at night she made cakes. Since she has lived in Redwood City, she has dedicated herself exclusively to baking cakes. Now with the pandemic, she and her partner are completely dependent on the income from Yessi's Cake Creations.
This season, to support others he reduced his prices substantially and supports the organization Giving Fruits that give food to the homeless. She bakes them small cakes in the hope of brightening up their day.
You can find it on their website: https://yessicakes.com/
Or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/yessiscakecreations/
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yessiscakecreations/?hl=en
