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Let’s Celebrate and Support!
August is National Black Business Month. Let’s get ready to bingo! Yvette Kelly-Fields, nonprofit executive by day and a local food blogger of What’s for Dessert? by night, in partnership with 20 locally owned Black businesses and a non-profit is hosting a month-long game of bingo to encourage the greater Dayton community to support Black businesses during the month of August.
The August designation as National Black Business Month began in 2004 when the holiday’s founders John William Templeton, a historian, and Frederick E. Jordan Sr., a civil engineer, as business owners saw the lack of support Black business received particularly as it related to capital.
According to a survey of more than 400 Black small business owners conducted last year by Groupon and National Black Chamber of Commerce, 80% said they faced more challenges launching their businesses due to their race, 74% said they have had fewer opportunities due to a lack of capital investment and resources targeted towards Black communities, and 76% of Black-owned businesses said they were negatively impacted by COVID-19, but only 5% of those that applied for Paycheck Protection Program loan received one.
It is for these and other reasons they have sought to elevate these businesses in the eyes of government officials, corporate heads, and the public at large “to drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African American businesses."
While public policy can bring capital to businesses in the form of government grants, contracts, and corporate diversity supplier programs, the average every day person can bring capital to a Black business by simply and intentionally spending with Black businesses.
“Cash flow means everything to staying in business. The quickest way to increase cash flow is to increase paid customers. Therefore, we said yes to provide media support to this project. It is a fun and exciting way to engage shoppers and encourage interaction between business owners and the public,” shared Donerik Black, publisher of the Dayton Weekly News. “As the oldest Black-owned newspaper in Dayton, it is important that our business and other Black owned businesses have the opportunity to thrive economically. This is only possible with access to capital and to paying customers.” Sponsored by Bob Ross Auto Group, one of the oldest Black dealerships in America and only one of four Black female-owned dealerships, this year’s National Black Business Month celebration gets a boost with a fun game of bingo which is easy to play!
To take part, cut out the bingo card in the Dayton Weekly Newspaper during the month of August or download a bingo card at nbbmdayton.com, visit and make a purchase at a participating business establishment during the month of August, or enter by donating to a participating charity or accessing legal, insurance, and realty services.
Every purchase is an entry. Players must simply email their receipt or confirmation of service to info@nbbmdayton.com. Or players can keep receipts and email them once they have a BINGO to get 10 entries. There are weekly drawings for prizes including gift cards to Gem City Market, Speedway gas and a grand prize of a $100 Visa gift card. All entries are eligible for the grand prize. Winners are chosen at random from among all qualified entries. Participants can enter as many times as they like to increase their chances to win, but only one weekly winner per household.
For a list of participating businesses and complete contest rules go to nbbmdayton.com.
What’s for Dessert is a local food blog written by Kelly-Fields.
Shoppers are encouraged to share their experience of National Black Business Month Dayton Bingo on social media under #NBBMDayton, #NationalBlackBusinessMonth, and #ShopBlack. For additional information, please contact Yvette Kelly-Fields at (937) 974-1920 or nbbmdayton.com.