In response to recent news articles about the demise of Locals Care and its reflection on local buying habits, the Santa Fe Alliance would like to remind the public that despite — or perhaps because of — the current economic situation, the alliance is not only surviving, but thriving!

We are a nonprofit membership organization of locally owned independent businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community members. We recently published our annual "Local Guide," which contains listings of more than 400 independently owned businesses; we promote an on-going "Buy Local First" campaign to educate and inform consumers of the importance of supporting local independent businesses; and we continue to work on sustainable issues throughout all sectors of our community and the economy.

The Santa Fe Alliance was affiliated with Locals Care from the launch of the loyalty card program in August 2006 until October 2008. When Locals Care — a for-profit venture-capital company — embarked on an ambitious campaign to enter other cities with its rewards card, we chose to discontinue our affiliation with the program.

Our mission not only focuses on promoting local business in Santa Fe but on localizing the economy across Northern New Mexico and the Southwest. We were recently awarded a two-year U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to work on a Farm to Restaurant food distribution network in Northern New Mexico and have been named Southwest Regional Hub for the Business Alliance of Local Living Economies (BALLE). As a regional hub, we are developing training materials and providing support to other communities interested in promoting independent businesses and a sustainable local economy.

Home subscribers to The New Mexican received a copy of the alliance's 2010 edition of the "Local Guide" with their papers on Nov. 20. Seven thousand additional guides are being distributed throughout the city at independent businesses, local public libraries, or contact us at 989-5362. Our members are also listed on our Web site, www.santafealliance.com.

Vicki Pozzebon is the executive director of Santa Fe Alliance, which promotes independent businesses and community. She lives in Santa Fe.