Tax Deductible Donations!

Since the beginning of May, we have been purchasing lunches from locally-owned restaurants and providing them for free to whoever wants them on Sundays at noon at the corner of Castle and Exchange Streets. So far this project has been sustained exclusively by private donations and the generous discounts provided by the restaurants. Local non-profit Three Stories sponsorship is now working with us to ensure that all donations to the lunch project are now tax-deductible. You can donate HERE.

Thanks so much for the support! Stay Strong and Stay Healthy!

Supporting Geneva

We hope everyone is doing OK in these unusual and challenging times.

Like many others, Love Geneva has been adapting to our new circumstances by re-focusing on our core mission (supporting economic and social sustainability in Geneva, NY by encouraging and nurturing local independent businesses and artists). During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have focused on two initiatives: the “Stay Strong” window sign campaign and the “Sunday Lunch with Love Geneva” project.

The “Stay Strong” window campaign is still active and we’ve raised over $4,000 for the meal delivery service run by the Boys & Girls Center of Geneva. You can order a window sign via the GoFundMe site: https://www.gofundme.com/f/love-genevastay-strong.

For the past three months, the “Sunday Lunch with Love Geneva” project has been purchasing lunches from locally-owned restaurants and providing them for free to whoever wants them on Sundays at noon at the corner of Castle and Exchange Streets. We began with 50 meals, but quickly realized that the need and the interest was much bigger, and are now providing over 80 free meals each Sunday. So far this project has been sustained by private donations and the generous discounts provided by the restaurants. We have received numerous questions about how individuals can support this initiative. You can do so by sending donations via PayPal to LoveGenevaNY@gmail.com. These funds are separate from the “Stay Strong” window sign campaign.

Even though we operate as one, we are not officially a non-profit entity, so donations are not tax-deductible. If you would prefer to make a tax-deductible contribution to help those in need, we encourage you to donate directly to the Boys & Girls Club of Geneva. And please continue shopping (in-person or online) at all the great  locally-owned businesses and restaurants in Geneva. Stay Strong and Stay Safe!

Sunday Lunch with Love Geneva

In May, we started a new campaign we like to call “Sunday Lunch with Love Geneva.” We use our privately-donated funds to purchase lunches from locally-owned restaurants in Geneva and provide them free to whoever wants them on Sundays at noon. The idea is to put revenue into the local economy while addressing the growing need of food insecurity. We began with 50 meals, but quickly realized that the need and the interest was much bigger. We’re now at around 75-80 free meals on Sunday. We’ve been fortunate to team up with Flavors Indian, La Reyna de Mexico (now 3 Amigos), Red Dove Tavern, and The Elephant Thai, who have provided the means at a discount (and in some cases totally free of charge). Next week we will be handing out free sub sandwiches from Mombergers Deli, and we have plans to continue throughout the month of June. Why Sundays? Because the Boys & Girls Club of Geneva and the Geneva School District are working incredibly hard to get meals out on Monday-Friday, and Blueprint Geneva is helping get meals to people on Saturdays. So if you know of someone who could use a free lunch on Sunday, send them down to the intersection of Castle and Exchange Streets.  (And if you want to help out, please consider donating directly to the Boys & Girls Club of Geneva and ordering take-out from any of the great locally-owned restaurants in Geneva.) Stay Strong!!

STAY STRONG window sign campaign!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/love-genevastay-strong

Love Geneva and Stomping Grounds are teaming up to help raise money for the Geneva Boys & Girls Club food delivery project. Throughout the Coronavirus Crisis, the Boys & Girls Club is preparing and delivering lunches and dinners to club members and their families throughout the community. They are currently delivering over 250 meals a day, and the need and costs are both growing.

Stomping Grounds has designed and is printing “Love Geneva — STAY STRONG” window poster.  They come in two sizes — 24 x 17 and 33.5 x 24.  We are offering the smaller one (suitable for putting in a regular sized window) for a $15 donation. The larger size is available for $30.  The proceeds (minus the cost of printing and postage) will be going to the Geneva Boys & Girls Club to help with their food delivery program.

Please send your mailing address so we can send you your window poster (you can do so after donating — if you forget, we’ll contact you in a day or two!).

We’re hoping to both raise money for those in need and send the message to STAY STRONG.  We can do this!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/love-genevastay-strong

Happy New Year!

Thanks to everyone for making 2018 a productive year for LOVE GENEVA. We were able to raise several hundred dollars for the grassroot’s organization MOTHER & OTHERS, a group providing support for local mothers and families in need. This is just one of many important groups working to make our community better.

In 2018, we also continued working to re-focus our mission here at LOVE GENEVA. We began LOVE GENEVA with a dedication to support local businesses and artists to enrich all of the communities that make up Geneva. Initially that took the form of staging ‘cash mobs’ and promoting shopping downtown. We also helped form Geneva Night Out, to support local artists and encourage shopping in downtown businesses, and introduced the LOVE GENEVA loyalty card. In the years since, downtown businesses have grown and are thriving. We no longer need to encourage people to go downtown or to schedule events, since there is so much going on.

Thus, there will not be a 2019 loyalty card. Interest in the card has dropped off and the need for it has greatly diminished. We will continue working to support local businesses and artists in Geneva, but will be doing so in different ways. Enjoy the new year and all the wonderful things that Geneva has to offer!

The 2018 Love Geneva Loyalty Card

The 2018 Love Geneva Loyalty Card is now available. For only $10 (with all proceeds going to the local grassroots organization Mothers & Others, who help mothers and families in need) the card gives you great discounts at numerous participating businesses around town. The 2018 card is currently available for purchase at Stomping Grounds, Finger Lakes Gift & Lounge, Earthly Possessions, and Burrall & Sons Insurance.

Current participating businesses include:

Amazing Grace: $10 off a $60+ Tattoo, $5 off of $45+ piercing and $5 off a $30+ jewelry purchase.

Billsboro Winery: 10% off wine and Billsboro logo apparel.

Cams: 5% off orders over $15

Earthly Possessions:  10% off purchases of $50 or more

Eddie O’Briens: 15% off any food purchase

FA Church Hardware:  10% off purchases

Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge: 10% off any gift purchase totaling $20 or more

Geneva Bicycle Center: 10% of service (excludes parts)

Geneva Foreign and Sports: free NY State inspection

Geneva Printing Company: 10% off all orders

Geneva Recreation Complex: $1 off either admission or skate rentals for skating on Sunday afternoons.

Inky Hot Mess: 10% off regularly priced merchandise.

Lake City Hobby: 10% off purchases over $25

Lake Drum: before 8pm all 64oz growler fills are $14 and 32oz fills are $8.

Main Moon: Free soda with each combo plate; or free sweet sour chicken (small) with orders over $25.

Marks Pizzeria: Buy a large 2 topping pizza and get a free medium cheese pizza

Microclimate: Free Beverage with purchase of flight

Monaco’s Coffee Shop: $1 small coffee

Opus Espresso and Food Bar: $1 cup of coffee or $2 off purchase of $10 or more

Parker’s: Free soft drink with any meal purchase

Red Jacket Orchards: 10% off in store purchase of all Red Jacket items; 15% off entire online purchase at www.redjacketorchards.com with code ILOVEGENEVA

Stomping Grounds: 10% off books and cards

2017 Love Geneva Loyalty Card is now available!

Shopping local has its rewards!!

The 2017 Love Geneva Loyalty Card is now available. For only $10 (with all proceeds going to the local non-profit Center of the Finger Lakes) the card gives you great discounts at numerous participating businesses around town. The 2017 card is currently available for purchase at Stomping Grounds, Finger Lakes Gift & Lounge, Earthly Possessions, and Burrall & Sons Insurance.

Current participating businesses include:

Amazing Grace: $10 off a $60+ Tattoo, $5 off of $45+ piercing and $5 off a $30+ jewelry purchase.

Area Records and Music: $1 off all new Compact Disc and Record Vinyl; 5% off all new Guitar purchases; Buy 2 sets of guitar strings get a 3rd of equal or lesser value for 50% off.

Billsboro Winery: 10% off wine and Billsboro logo apparel.

Cams: 5% off orders over $15

Earthly Possessions:  10% off purchases of $50 or more

Eddie O’Briens: 15% off any food purchase

FA Church Hardware:  10% off purchases

Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge: 10% off food and beverages of $5 or more

Geneva Bicycle Center: 10% of service (excludes parts)

Geneva Foreign and Sports: free NY State inspection

Geneva Printing Company: 10% off all orders

Geneva Recreation Complex: $1 off either admission or skate rentals for skating on Sunday afternoons.

Inky Hot Mess: 10% off regularly priced merchandise.

Joe’s Hots: 10% off orders

Lake City Hobby: 10% off purchases over $25

Lake Drum: before 8pm all 64oz growler fills are $14 and 32oz fills are $8.

Main Moon: Free soda with each combo plate; or free sweet sour chicken (small) with orders over $25.

Marks Pizzeria: Buy a large 2 topping pizza and get a free medium cheese pizza

Microclimate: Free Beverage with purchase of flight

Opus Espresso and Food Bar: $1 cup of coffee or $2 off purchase of $10 or more

Parker’s: Free soft drink with any meal purchase

Red Jacket Orchards: 10% off in store purchase of all Red Jacket items; 15% off entire online purchase at www.redjacketorchards.com with code ILOVEGENEVA

Stomping Grounds: 10% off books and cards

Please note that discounts may vary by month/season; we will do our best to keep this list updated. A brochure of all participating businesses will be available in early 2017.

NOTE TO BUSINESSES: If you are interested in participating, please contact us at LoveGenevaNY@gmail.com.

Loving Geneva, all of Geneva

Given the shifting political climate around us, we at LOVE GENEVA would like to take this time to re-assert our core mission. When we champion LOVE GENEVA we are not just stating our pride for this great city of ours, but declaring a commitment to the betterment of all of its citizens. We will continue to strive to promote and protect all of the communities, especially the most vulnerable, within this great city. This is not a political stance (we don’t care who you vote for) but an ethical commitment to the economic enrichment and social inclusion of all of Geneva’s citizens and communities. Thank you for your continuing support.

The 2016 Love Geneva Loyalty Card is now available!

The LOVE GENEVA loyalty card  — shopping local has its rewards!

The 2016 LOVE GENEVA loyalty card is available for $10.00, with all profits going to Geneva Reads, a local organization that supports and increases literacy. The card is currently available for purchase at the Finger Lakes Gifts & Lounge, Stomping Grounds, Earthly Possessions, and Burrall & Sons Insurance.

During 2016, the card can be used at participating Geneva businesses. The holder of the card is entitled to whatever benefits the business establishes as their “loyalty reward.”

Participating businesses so far:

Amazing Grace: $10 off a $60+ Tattoo, $5 off of $45+ piercing and $5 off a $30+ jewelry purchase.

Area Records and Music: $1 off all new Compact Disc and Record Vinyl; 5% off all new Guitar purchases; Buy 2 sets of guitar strings get a 3rd of equal or lesser value for 50% off.

Billsboro Winery: 10% off wine and Billsboro logo apparel.

Blink Permanent Cosmetics:   $50 off permanent make-up service

Cams: 5% off orders over $15

Earthly Possessions:  10% off purchases of $50 or more

Exquisite Skin Care Spa: 10% off any service

FA Church Hardware:  10% off purchases

Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge: 10% off food and beverages of $5 or more

Geneva Bicycle Center: 10% of service (excludes parts)

Geneva Foreign and Sports: free NY State inspection

Geneva Printing Company: 10% off all orders

Geneva Recreation Complex: $1 off either admission or skate rentals for skating on Sunday afternoons.

Inky Hot Mess: 10% off regularly priced merchandise.

Joe’s Hots: 10% off orders

Lake City Hobby: 10% off purchases over $25

Lake Drum: before 8pm all 64oz growler fills are $14 and 32oz fills are $8.

Main Moon: Free soda with each combo plate; or free sweet sour chicken (small) with orders over $25.

Marks Pizzeria: Buy a large 2 topping pizza and get a free medium cheese pizza

Microclimate: Free Beverage with purchase of flight

Opus Espresso and Food Bar: $1 cup of coffee or $2 off purchase of $10 or more

Parker’s: Free soft drink with any meal purchase

Red Jacket Orchards: 10% off in store purchase of all Red Jacket items; 15% off entire online purchase at www.redjacketorchards.com with code ILOVEGENEVA

Stomping Grounds: 10% off rugs and furniture

[please note that discounts may vary by month/season; we will do our best to keep this list updated]

NOTE TO BUSINESSES: If you are interested in participating, please contact us at LoveGenevaNY@gmail.com.

shopping local for the holidays!

As you do your holiday shopping this year, take a pledge to do at least 50% of your shopping in locally-owned independent stores. It will make a huge difference! Last year, with people focused on shopping locally, the 4th quarter sales tax revenue in Geneva increased 10.7% from the previous year. In real terms, that meant shopping in Geneva helped generate an increase of $75K+ in sales tax revenue and meant that local businesses collectively made more than 10% in revenue during the final quarter of 2014 than the year before. That meant more money for local businesses, more money for local development projects, more money for local infrastructures, more money for community programs.

So let’s do it again this year and make 2015 the year you shop locally for the holidays! There are lots of reasons to shop locally in Geneva. Here are some basic economic figures:

• For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $73 remains in the local economy, and $27 leaves.
• For every $100 spent at a non-locally owned business, $57 leaves and only $43 remains in the local economy.
• When you shop locally owned businesses, your money is recirculated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to your community and state.
• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
• Locally-owned businesses support local community projects and charities to a far higher degree than non-local businesses. How much more? Studies show that non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from small, local business owners than they do from large businesses.

Shopping local strengthens Geneva and benefits us all.