The following from the U.S. Small Business Administration:

Your vote may already be cast and counted in this year’s election. Your wallet, however, contains another valuable “vote” this holiday season: where you spend your money.

This Saturday, Nov. 24 is Small Business Saturday. I invite you to join consumers across the country to lend your support to local jobs and economic growth by shopping small.

Here in Maple Valley and across the country, small business owners generate two of every three net new jobs and employ half the workforce. By using your dollars to shop small, you vote to keep and grow those jobs in your backyard.

As someone who loves the quality of life in small towns, I’ve seen firsthand the value in keeping Main Street alive. Small businesses envelop the culture of a community and their owners are active leaders that enrich the places where we live, work and play.

Last year, Small Business Saturday made a big impact on the U.S. economy. 108 million consumers shopped or dined small and generated approximately $12 billion in reported spending. That’s just in one day. Take a moment to think about that. It’s clear to see the power we collectively have in our holiday spending choices.

This year, Americans are seeing more money in their paychecks following President Trump’s tax cuts and more than six million American workers have seen a bonus as a result as well. This is positive news for small businesses, especially as we head into the holiday season. I hope you will join me and encourage your friends and family to spend that money at local establishments.

To help merchants and restaurants prepare for Small Business Saturday, local staff from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will visit businesses to show their support. The SBA provides no-cost training and advising resources to help small businesses maximize sales during the holiday season.

Discover these resources for both small business owners and shoppers at www.sba.gov/saturday. You can also show your support on social media by using the hashtag #ShopSmall to highlight your own business or share your favorite places to shop and dine locally.

Whether it’s Main Street in a small town or a neighborhood shopping district in a bigger city, your spending dollars count. Join me and vote “yes” for small business by shopping small Nov. 24.

Jeremy Field is the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Pacific Northwest Region. The SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses with resources to start, grow, expand or recover.