Our friends at Lowcountry Local First have done an amazing job showing us all what supporting local businesses can do for our economy. If we all committed 10 percent of our shopping budgets to local merchants, the effort could generate about $140 million in total new economic activity, $50 million in new wages and more than 1,000 new jobs. (Source: Lowcountry Local First and its national affiliate, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).)

When you’re thinking local, remember that every donation made to The Charleston Breast Center stays right here. Every single dollar we receive goes to work to:

• Ensure comprehensive patient advocacy and care
• Ensure the use of state-of-the-art medical equipment
• Develop women’s breast health awareness programes within the community
• Detect breast cancers at twice the national benchmark
• Improve the lives of Lowcountry women

Stay tuned as we share some of our favorite local businesses and friends.