How to support small businesses this holiday season.

As COVID-19 numbers rise and many business owners face the possibility of having to shut down yet again, it feels more important than ever to ditch Amazon Prime and support local business owners however we can.

You can expect that many small businesses with online orders will experience shipping delays leading up to the holidays, so it's best to start your online shopping early this year.

Here's a handy list of local businesses where you can shop online. This list is pretty good, too. Want to support restaurants, who are most likely to be hit first by COVID closures? Get a gift card instead, and the recipient can use it for takeout.

Etsy has a filter that allows you to narrow down your search results by location. (There are a ton of results for just Oakland alone!)

The Oakland Indie Alliance is another great resource if you'd like to donate your time, money, or pro bono services to local businesses.

Any other resources or tips we should share? Help us spread the love and support!