From the editor: San Jose small business owners, we’re here to help

Owning a small business in Silicon Valley has never been easy. Now with the coronavirus pandemic closing local businesses for two months, it is nearly impossible. We know you’re struggling.

As founders of San José Spotlight, the city’s first nonprofit news startup, we are small business owners ourselves. We launched our organization more than a year ago with the mission to amplify the unheard voices in our community and to create high-quality, independent local journalism. We’ve always been more than just a newsroom. We’ve worked to ignite civic engagement through live events connecting readers to decisionmakers, answering your questions and holding your officials accountable.

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.

We know that many small businesses are seeing their life savings drained, are struggling to keep the lights on and are considering closing their doors for good. As a community-supported nonprofit newsroom, we know the importance of giving back, especially during these challenging times.

Today, we’re launching Keep San Jose Local, our pay it forward campaign to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. We are pledging to use our signature newsletter, the Daily Spotlight, to highlight small businesses and nonprofits supporting San Joseans.

For every San José Spotlight reader who signs up or upgrades to a recurring monthly donation of $10 or more, we’ll donate a FREE ad (valued at $250) to a local business or nonprofit that’s struggling during the pandemic.

Your gift will not only help a local business in need, but also will ensure that our truth-seeking, independent journalism will continue for years to come.

Are you a local small business interested in the FREE ad? Fill out this quick form for your chance to be featured in San José Spotlight’s daily newsletter reaching thousands of highly-engaged readers. This offer is only available to independently owned businesses and nonprofits based in Santa Clara County.

We believe that every business that’s forced to shutter changes the very fabric of our community. And we’re here to help.

Thank you for being leaders in our community and for making San Jose a better place to live. Your strength and resilience in this time of fear and uncertainty inspires us everyday. Thank you for calling San Jose home. Thank you for not giving up.

We’re in this fight together.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at [email protected] or follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.