Initiatives

Boston Community Change

The objective of the Boston Community Change program is to empower consumers by building an understanding of the greater consequences of their purchasing decisions. The program brings together the civic, nonprofit, and business sectors and enables them to leverage the power of the consumer dollar to reverse negative social and environmental trends. It is through this empowerment that consumers adjust their purchasing decisions to contribute to a sustainable economy while revitalizing their community through increased purchases from homegrown businesses. The free Boston community cards work in conjunction with any form of payment --- cash, check, credit or debit card --- at the point of sale and online. With the simple swipe of the card, citizens receive cash rewards for shopping at participating local merchants who, in turn, predetermine the rebate amount. An equal cash reward goes to a nonprofit or school of the cardholder's choice creating a reliable source of funding for the nonprofit. Cardholders can track cash rewards in a personalized account and receive monthly electronic statements that detail the total earned cash rewards as well as the total donations generated for selected non-profits or schools in the community. These rebates give citizens the incentive to support local merchants more often, and provide a sense of support and connection to the community at large.

Shopping on Main Streets

Boston Main Streets Foundation supports the health and vitality of each of the main streets commercial districts. Funding has been made available to promote each main street district through the Shopping on Main Streets and Dining on Main Streets initiatives. Visit www.Shoppingonmainstreets.com to learn more about these efforts.