First National Bank USA joins the nation’s nearly 5,700 community banks encouraging consumers to Go Local when shopping for friends and family this holiday season.

When you support locally owned and operated businesses by shopping or dining locally, every dollar spent is returned threefold to your local economy — putting your hard-earned money to work in the community you call home.

Local businesses also create two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. annually, which means your support for these businesses also helps our national economy thrive.

We are proud to serve as a financial incubator for many small businesses across our community, and we encourage consumers to Go Local for their holiday and year-round purchases.

When small businesses succeed, everybody wins, opening the door for greater community reinvestment and innovation, which help our community thrive.

As the primary source of lending for the nation’s small businesses, community banks will continue to help create small businesses and launch entrepreneurs’ dreams across the nation.

In fact, community banks make more than 60 percent of all small business loans under $1 million.

Show support for local entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the year by participating in #GoLocal Wednesday (Nov. 21) and sharing your experiences via the #GoLocal hashtag.

Robert Laiche is vice president at First National Bank USA, which is locally owned and operated since 1975. We are your hometown bank offering a full range of banking services to meet all of your financial needs. Here Today…Here Tomorrow.