May 8^th, 2012

Dear Mayor Schumm and Commissioners Cromwell, Carter, Dever and Aymx,

My name is Constance Wolfe and I am the founder of the Lawrence GiveBack program.  GiveBack is a buy local program that is designed to raise awareness of the importance of keeping dollars local as much as possible that also raises funds for local charitable organizations.  So far, over $16 million has been re-circulated in our local economy within the program which has generated $170,000 for local charitable organizations.

In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of shopping local, we would like to host an event on a typically slow period for local and downtown retailers and offer free parking to shoppers on Massachusetts Street for a day.  I am currently looking at June 12^th. 

We hosted this event last year and it was very well received from both downtown merchants and consumers.  Shoppers earned double points on their GiveBack cards and charities earned double donations.   In fact due to this promotion, GiveBack merchants saw a 37% increase in sales over any other Tuesday since the start of the program in 2009. 

 Last year we bagged the meters with green bags that we created all along Mass. Street on both sides, from 6^th to 11^th and the side streets between Vermont and New Hampshire.  I would like to ask you to consider allowing us to do this again this year.    

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

Constance Wolfe

Founder, Lawrence GiveBack

CC: City Manager, David Corliss