Kids & Family

'Good for 20' Aims to Keep Dollars Local

Project encourages people to shift at least $20 to direct-to-customer services.

Do you plan on spending $20 this week? With a tank of gas costing at least double that for most people these days, the answer is likely "yes."

So, if you are spending it, why not try and shift at least that much of your hard-earned coin to a local source?

That was the mission Becca Karger gave to herself and fiance, Shaun Ananko, when she recently came up with "I'm Good for 20," a mission to keep money local.

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Karger said the idea began when she realized she and Ananko—the farm manager at The Urban Farm at Lafayette—were not always aware of where there money was going. "I figured put a name to it and inspire others to follow," she said.

An advertising copywrighter by trade, Karger said marketing the idea came natural to her, on a subject she is passionate about. What began as a mission to keep money going to local farmers has since expanded, to include any direct-to-customer source.

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The experiment has worked for the couple, whose weekly bounties have either been posted to the site or uploaded to its Facebook page. Anyone who wants to participate can either email Karger the photos, or upload to the Facebook page, as well.

But, first, they need to take the oath:

I [state your name]
Do hereby promise
As long as I need food to survive
To allocated at least $20
Of my weekly grocery spending
To a direct-to-customer source
Such as a farm stand, farmers market, or CSA.

"Twenty is feasible," Karger said. "It's something, more than nothing."

And, as the website notes, "Small commitments can lead to big change."

Click the included video to see Editor John Dunphy take the "I'm Good for 20" oath.


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