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Press kit
History
Judy Wicks, a Philadelphia restaurateur who built the founding BALLE network the Sustainable Business Alliance of Greater Philadelphia around her business, the White Dog Café, wondered whether she could spread this framework for building a sustainable local economy to the rest of the country. Through her involvement with the Social Venture Network, a community of company founders, private investors, social entrepreneurs, and key influencers who share a commitment to building a just and sustainable world through business, she met Laury Hammel, owner of the Boston area's innovative Longfellow health clubs, and other people exploring the idea of a new organization to promote sustainable local economies.
In late 2001, soon after September 11, they formed BALLE, which has since grown to include more than 60 other local business networks encompassing nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs in the US and Canada. For a more detailed history, please click here.
BALLE now
BALLE's principles and approach to economic development and community revitalization are finding an increasingly receptive audience throughout North America.
BALLE's mission and vision
MIssion: BALLE seeks to build community wealth by catalyzing, connecting, and strengthening local business networks dedicated to building Living Economies.
Vision: BALLE believes in the power of local businesses to transform communities for the better by working cooperatively toward a shared vision. We imagine cities and towns of every size and political stripe engaged in shared learning to build community assets like sustainable agriculture, green building, renewable energy, community capital, zero-waste manufacturing and independent retail - what we call the building blocks of Living Economies. We envision a time when local economies not only generate community wealth, but also are catalysts for civic action, social diversity and ecological health - for sustainable communities.
Recent coverage
Table for Six Billion, Please, The Sun, August 2008, by David Kupfer.
In Your Own Backyard, Niche Magazine, Summer 2008, by Barbara Scofidio.
Using the Power of Community to Green Small Business, interview with program director Mary Rick on GreenBiz.com.
Why local matters to the community, commentary by Janice Shade, ED of Local First Vermont, in the Times-Argus, January 31, 2008.
Making a Profit and a Difference, New York Times, October 6, 2006, by Glenn Rifkin.
For further recent and archived coverage of BALLE and related topics, please click here.
Watch a video
Michael Shuman talks about saving the world by eating locally, at Carnegie Mellon University in May 2008.
Press contact
Ann Bartz, Program Manager
415.255.1108 x 105
ann [at] livingeconomies.org
