I’m lucky enough to call Western Massachusetts home. One of the reasons I cherish living here is that I live in a region that still believes community is something we build together.

Living Local 413 is a good example. Its mission is to strengthen local business communities because strong business communities make stronger towns, neighborhoods, and regions. That may sound like economic development, but it’s really an effort to rebuild the relationships that allow local economies to thrive.

Through its Villages initiative, business accelerators, regional gatherings, and the 413 Online platform, Living Local 413 is helping entrepreneurs, civic leaders, nonprofits, and local governments find one another, share resources, and work together on challenges like housing, workforce development, and local investment. The underlying idea is straightforward: communities become more resilient when relationships grow stronger and more value circulates close to home.

Perhaps economies don’t become local because we shop locally. Perhaps they become local because we learn to know one another well enough that keeping value close to home becomes the obvious thing to do.

ORGANIZATION: Living Local 413

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