PORTLAND, Ore. — There has been a growing movement to support Black-owned businesses in the wake of the nationwide protests against police brutality and racism.
Jory Monroe was thinking of his own way to help support those in the Portland/Vancouver area.
He says more often than not people don't go farther than they have to.
"I think a lot of times we get lazy, all of us do. We just go whatever's closest instead of who really needs the support, what's better, things like that."
Monroe started "Let's Do Our Part" and started buying gift cards to randomly hand out. He thought he'd go to family, friends and coworkers to see who could help and in the last month has raised $2,000.
"A month ago when we started this, I literally thought I was gonna be going to my three supervisors and handing them like a gift card and saying, 'Go support this place.'"
Monroe says he's bought around 100 gift cards from 12 different Black-owned businesses like Sugar Street Bakery and Bistro.
"I thought it was amazing. I think I'm just seeing a lot of people doing some good things. When I heard about this I felt it," said Kenric Carter, co-owner of Sugar Street.
Carter says getting exposure as a small business can be difficult when you're trying to stand out.
"You can't be what you can't see. And that's the biggest problem owning a bakery, being African American: You want to be all these things, but you're not being seen," said Carter. "Opportunities like this, which is a blessing I'm able to be seen."
"Let's Do Our Part" has partnered with other non-Black owned small businesses to pass out the gift cards to random customers. Small businesses like Portland Gear, Kim Jong Grillin, DeMarcos Sandwiches, Laundry PDX and Sizzle Pie will hand out gift cards to random customers or social media followers.
"We want audiences who support small businesses," said Monroe. "Who do have that intention of, 'hey I want to shop here at a small local business' versus, 'I'm gonna go down to Starbucks every morning.'"
Ian Williams is the owner of Deadstock Coffee in Old Town. It's one of the businesses Monroe purchased gift cards at.
"I think gestures and moves like that are very helpful, you know," said Williams. "It's great that he's willing to put his money or the money of the nonprofit or the funds, time, resources all that together for us to be able to sustain and move forward."
Deadstock Coffee saw sales rise significantly just last month.
"We saw business go way up - 50 bags [of coffee] a week online to 150 bags one week to the next week it was 1,000 bags and then it dropped back down, 500, 400 and then we're back down to 200."
That one-time support doesn't help sustain a business for the long term.
"I definitely expected it to peak and drop off," said Williams. "It needs to get to a point where it's sustainable, but overall very happy."
Williams appreciates what Monroe and others are doing to support Black-owned businesses, but doesn't want the color of his skin to be the reason why customers show up.
"I don't want people to come here only because I'm Black, I want people to come here because we do a good thing, because our coffee is good and because we're a great community space."
Monroe hopes the same thing, that buying gift cards will drive customers to these businesses and create a new customer for life.
"A lot of them sell themselves when you get there with the amazing products they have, they just don't have that exposure," Monroe said.
To learn more about "Let's Do Our Part", head to their Instagram page.