Fuerza del Este: Shop at Eastland area businesses and get a free gift card, worth up to twice the amount you spend

Fuerza del Este is a campaign designed to quickly pump dollars back into the Eastland-area small business ecosystem after a tumultuous November. It’s estimated that between November 15 and November 22, 2025, half of the independently-owned businesses unexpectedly closed for at least one day, resulting in an average daily loss of $2,500 in revenue.

By participating in Fuerza del Este and shopping at a participating business, you can receive a gift card worth up to TWICE what you spend, while funds last.

How it works

Make a purchase above $25 at any eligible business (the list is available here) between November 29th-December 31st.
Take a picture of your receipt (please mark out personal information, card numbers) and upload it here.
Wait for CLT East to email you on January 5th to choose the business you’d like to receive a gift card from; pick up or have gift cards delivered between January 19th and January 23rd.

By the numbers:

$25 to $49 purchase earns $50 gift card
$50+ purchase earns $100 gift card

Notes

Limit one entry per person
The program will be closed once funds are exhausted ($15,000)
Not all listed businesses currently utilize gift cards; the organization is working to get many set up with this by the time winners make their selections on January 5, 2026.
A separate small business grant relief fund, culinary tours, and community dinners running through Q1 2026 will accompany this initiative
For questions, reach out to secretary@charlotteeast.com.

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Upcoming Events in the Charlotte area

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