The holiday season is upon us. And like many of us, you are probably already bombarded with many ads, messages, and emails about big retailers’ Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday specials.

Right in the middle of those two is a more compelling ask for our backing and support: Small Business Saturday .

Small Business Saturday was created by American Express in 2010, in the midst of the recession, to encourage the community to shop small and drive holiday sales to small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving

Paleteria's paletas and popsicles, made from 100% natural fruit.

When you support local, small businesses, you put your dollars behind real people working hard to lift their families and communities, like Joey and Cecy Rodriguez, owners of Paleteria San Antonio in Hemisfair Park. The couple started their business from a desire to offer artisan frozen treats made with fresh, natural ingredients and responsible practices. We’re also inspired by entrepreneurs like Kela Nabors, who created body balms to help treat her daughter’s eczema with natural organic products instead of the prescribed treatments. Kela and her husband Kevin now sell those organic products and more through their business Organically Bath & Beauty , a San Antonio favorite.

Let’s do our part to back up Joey, Cecy, Kela, Kevin and the many other small business owners asking for our support.

Let’s shop locally and do some good, together!

This year, Small Business Saturday is on November 27, and the driving force that inspired the Shop Small movement is just as relevant today.

The last couple of years have been challenging for everyone and, as small business champions, we at LiftFund have seen first-hand the detrimental impact of the pandemic on our small business neighbors.

Celebrating the day by supporting our favorite neighborhood shop is great, but small business owners need more than that, especially now. We’ve all heard that small businesses are the engine of our economy — they represent 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses and employ 47 percent of all employees in our nation. They provide unique, creative and vibrant products and services, employ our neighbors, contribute to our local economy, and give back to our community.

Small businesses are active economic drivers... and they need us more than ever.

I hope you join me in supporting small business owners this holiday season, and beyond. If unique, creative gifts are what you are looking for, I invite you to visit LiftFund's Client Marketplace -- an online collection of small businesses offering a wide variety of products and services.

Janie Barrera is the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of LiftFund, a nonprofit small business champion.