The City of Tehachapi Small Business Loyalty Program received a $1,000 donation from local realtor Stacey Peel to go towards purchasing more gift cards from small businesses to keep the program going.

Peel who is with the Tehachapi Keller Williams Real Estate office learned the Small Business Loyalty Program was winding down due to the overwhelming response from the community in supporting mom and pop businesses and the gift card supply was almost exhausted.

She was in contact with Corey Costelloe, the City's Economic Development Coordinator, and wanted to help keep the program going due to the success she has personally seen in the local real estate market.

"I grew up in Tehachapi, I know these business owners, we need to support each other and I'm just happy I could do something to support local small businesses," said Peel. She also mentioned that her out of town customers purchasing Tehachapi real estate ask her about the local businesses and where is a good place to get something to eat, and that this donation just made sense.

The City of Tehachapi Small Business Loyalty Program was scheduled to run through the month of March with an initial investment of $1,000. Fifty $20 gift cards were purchased from local eateries in the City of Tehachapi and were given to people who brought in receipts from other small City of Tehachapi businesses totaling $100 or more.

It was very clear the program was something the community would support. City Hall saw the initial group of gift cards distributed very quickly forcing a second $1,000 investment and then a third $1,000 investment in $20 locally owned restaurant gift cards to keep the program going.

These gift cards were purchased in advance by the City of Tehachapi to ensure the business owners received a small stimulus on the front end and hopefully increased return traffic to their establishments for gift card redemption and additional purchases.

The program has created more than $25,000 in local small business stimulus in less than three weeks and now the program can be extended for an additional week or until the last gift card has been distributed.