Yelp is teaming up with the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund and My Black Receipt on an initiative to drive $5 million to Black-owned businesses.
The business directory and crowdsourced review forum said that since debuting its Black-owned business attribute in June, in partnership with My Black Receipt, nearly 20,000 businesses have opted in to the attribute, and consumers have spent $7.5 million with Black-owned businesses.
Yelp added that searches for Black-owned businesses on its platform are up 6,500% compared with the same period last year.
In order to participate in the campaign, people who buy from Black-owned businesses between Nov. 27 and Dec. 18 can upload their receipts here.
My Black Receipt is a movement aimed at empowering the Black community with economic independence.
Kezia M. Williams, CEO of My Black Receipt and Black upstart, said in a Yelp blog post, “Black Friday kicks off the busiest shopping season of the year and, with the ongoing pandemic, it’s important to continue to support Black-owned businesses, which have been disproportionately impacted. We are excited to once again partner with Yelp to encourage consumers to spend with their values and demonstrate how individual purchases can make a big impact in the Black community.”
The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund was founded by National Basketball Association point guard Jrue Holiday, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week, and his wife, Lauren Holiday, a former forward and midfielder for the U.S. Women’s National Team and FC Kansas City in the National Women’s Soccer League, to highlight Black-owned businesses that have been devastated by the impact of Covid-19.
Jrue Holiday said in the Yelp blog post, “Looking ahead to the holiday season, it’s important to support the businesses that have been impacted by Covid-19, especially Black-owned businesses that have been devastated by the pandemic. Yelp makes it easy to find and share Black-owned businesses with your community so you can support these businesses and spend money with them.”