New mobile gift card serves as a simple way to support San Leandro business community   

By Paul Sanftner

The City of San Leandro is proud to announce the new Keeping it Local San Leandro gift card, a community-based digital gift card that makes it fun and easy to keep local spending local.

Purchase a Keeping it Local San Leandro gift card to use at any of the participating shops in the neighborhood.

With this card, you can write a personal message and send it to family, friends and colleagues via email, text, or physical copy. Recipients can redeem gift cards at one or more of many participating merchants in San Leandro.

All-digital and always available on your phone, the Keeping it Local San Leandro gift card is great for birthdays, holidays, teacher appreciation, coach gifts, or just to show your appreciation to a friend. Now you can give back to the community while you celebrate the upcoming holidays.

As an added bonus, for a limited time, when you purchase a $25 (or more) gift card you will receive a $10 bonus gift card. If you purchase a $50 (or more) gift card, you will receive a $20 bonus gift card. If you purchase a $100 (or more) gift card you will receive a $40 bonus gift card. (Limit 2 per customer, while supplies last or until December 30, 2021).

The program is a part of San Leandro’s recovery efforts to support businesses and foster community. Support for the bonus gifts is being provided by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal recovery funds.

So far, a good variety of businesses have signed up to participate in the program, including Anytime Fitness, 21st-Amendment Brewery, As Kneaded Bakery, Sabino’s Cafe, Estudillo Produce, codeAtorium, It’s a Grind Coffee House, Inner Athlete, the Cooler, Pallen’s Martial Arts, B*Dazzled Dancers, Zocalo Coffeehouse, and Hanoi Chicken Noodle. Businesses can sign up anytime by reaching out to the City.

Why supporting local businesses is so important 

Participating in this program means supporting the heart of what makes San Leandro unique. The purchase of a Keeping It Local San Leandro gift card creates a pool of cash that local businesses in San Leandro can rely on.

Studies^[1] have shown that local, independent retailers recirculate 47% of their revenue back into the community, while only 14% of national chains’ revenue stays in the community. More dramatically, restaurants recirculate 73% of their revenue back into the community, versus only 30% for national chains.

By supporting local businesses, more money continues circulating through the local community—this is achieved through a combination of profits paid to local business owners, wages paid to local workers, goods and services procured locally for internal use or resale, and charitable giving within the community.

If you’re looking for a way to do some good or want to know how you can help the community you love, send a Keeping it Local San Leandro gift card today! For more information or to participate as a merchant in the program, please contact the City of San Leandro: slnext@sanleandro.org.

About Yiftee 

Yiftee (Yiftee.com) is the award-winning, no hassle eGift card and promotions solution for local businesses and communities. With no special technology or POS integration, no revenue-share and no special accounting, it’s easy for merchants to offer eGift Cards on their website and Facebook pages.

Merchants gain additional sales, foot traffic, and an eGifting capability like big retailers. Consumers, corporations, and merchants use the Yiftee mobile and online website to send thoughtful, unexpected gifts via email, text or print.

Recipients pick up their Yiftee gifts using their smartphone at their favorite local restaurants and shops, driving profitable business to those merchants. For more info, see Yiftee.com or email info@yiftee.com.

Paul Sanftner is the communications and community relations manager in San Leandro’s City Manager’s Office.

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