How did you celebrate the Fourth of July this year? Did your town have a parade? Were there fireworks? My family has a tradition every year where we meet up for a picnic by the river before the fireworks in our town start.

Do any of our readers spend the day improving our country? It is one thing to celebrate independence, but what ways can we honor the hard work of our founding fathers?

President Trump often refers to his plans for developing job growth. While holding an elected office is one way to serve the country, there are even easier ways to support and improve the United States. We may not have the power to vote for legislation, but we have an even greater responsibility to vote with our money.

Supporting local businesses and American-made products is one of the most influential decisions we can make. Don’t believe us? 

Check out the top four reasons buying American-made products is worth the investment:

1. Job Creation – Millwood employs anywhere from 1400-1600 employees depending on the season. That means up to 1600 families can rely on a steady income. That’s enough people to fill a cruise ship! If every American spent an extra $3 to buy US made products over imported goods, it would create nearly 10,000 new jobs.
2. Economy Growth – When you buy goods that are made in America, your dollars spent will be recycled back to companies and workers who created that product. Every time you spend money on US products, you are supporting a fellow American’s ability to manufacture those goods, ensuring that the money stays in the country and continues to cycle through American businesses.
3. Community Support – Shopping at local businesses generates 70 percent more local economic activity than buying from large corporations or internationally made products. This is why Millwood has multiple locations throughout the USA to support our customers. It also benefits the environment; the less a product travels to get to you, the smaller the environmental footprint.
4. Defend Human Rights – Many importing countries have very little or zero regulations for working condition standards. Many workers are subjected to long hours, unsafe conditions, child labor and criminally low wages. By choosing to spend your money on American-made products, you are also choosing to support human rights and responsible business.

It is our responsibility to create the America we want, and while the task may seem daunting, buying American-made products is a powerful first step.