The Hannah Grimes Center and Monadnock Buy Local recently joined the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) community of independent business networks.

BALLE's mission is to catalyze, strengthen and connect networks of locally owned independent businesses dedicated to building strong Local Living Economies. BALLE networks create local living economies through the building blocks of independent retail, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, green building, local zero-waste manufacturing, community capital, independent media, and local arts and culture.

"We feel that with BALLE's support, our work will have more of a positive impact in our region," said Jennifer F. Risley, Program Coordinator of the Hannah Grimes Center and Chair of Monadnock Buy Local. "Our region is rich with individuals, organizations and businesses working to strengthen our local economy, BALLE will help us move forward together."

"We are delighted to begin working with Hannah Grimes & Monadnock Buy Local in support of thriving, sustainable, self-reliant 'local living economies' in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire and throughout North America," said Alissa Barron, BALLE Co-Managing Director & Network Services Director. "They are joining a learning community of place-based business networks in 80 cities and towns in over 30 U.S. States and Canadian Provinces representing over 22,000 independent businesses."

For more on BALLE's mission, vision, and principles, visit their website: http://livingeconomies.org.