Enjoy Illinois is encouraging Illinoisans to “shop local” this holiday season, highlighting Illinois-made products in its 2020 Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide. From homemade fudge, caramel, and truffle assortments from Moline’s Lagomarcino’s to coffee made in Rockford by the dedicated team of local firefighters at Fire Department Coffee, the guide has something for everyone on your list.
In a year when many small businesses have faced unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide is a good resource to help you support small businesses in your community while shopping for your loved ones. See what the gift guide has to offer for your friends and family at https://www.enjoyillinois.com/illinois-made/holiday-gift-guide/.
Our local business community needs our support now, more than ever. Which is why I’ve also partnered together with Shop Southern Illinois, the Southern Illinois Made Expo and chambers of commerce from across Southern Illinois to launch the start of a new initiative called “Shop, Eat, Play—Safely, Southern Illinois Made.”
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Southern Illinois Made Expo—which we’ve held annually for the past two years to showcase the business community of Southern Illinois—was unfortunately canceled.
While the pandemic and ongoing mitigations have made any in-person events impossible for the time being, the “Shop, Eat, Play—Safely” initiative is virtual endeavor to support our local businesses by bringing awareness and recognition to the locally made/produced products and services found right here in Southern Illinois.
We’ve already started the promotion of some of our local business finds. Be sure to visit simade.org, senatorfowler.com or the Southern Illinois Made Facebook Expo page to learn more about the businesses participating in this virtual endeavor!
We have so many unique and innovative products and beautiful destinations made, produced and found right in here Southern Illinois. Do your part to support our businesses and shop local!