Movement promotes local engagement in FoCo

FORT COLLINS — A movement to promote locally owned, brick-and-mortar companies in Fort Collins has been launched.

Mantooth Marketing Co. has created We R Foco to emphasize the importance of choosing local companies when doing business.

Dennis and Noreen Houska, owners of Houska Automotive, have been strong advocates for the program.

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Empowering communities

Rocky Mountain Health Plans (RMHP), part of the UnitedHealthcare family, has pledged its commitment to uplift these communities through substantial investments in organizations addressing the distinct needs of our communities.

“Our family has been a proud, locally owned business in Fort Collins for the past 66 years. In that time, we have strived to continuously support the community, local nonprofits and causes we find important to our company’s mission,” said Dennis Houska. “We have seen the full effects of supporting your neighbors and truly believe that by working together to shop and support local businesses, we will have a tremendous impact on our local economy and state of our city.”

The new We R Foco website includes a business directory of each company involved, stories about their connections to the community that are updated often, a list of events that these companies are either supporting, holding, or volunteering time at. The site also features a local job board that highlights positions for people interested in working locally. It functions as Fort Collins’ one-stop-shop for all information about local businesses and happenings.

We R Foco said in its announcement that local businesses have outsized impact.

• Local businesses donate 250 percent more to nonprofits
• For each dollar spent locally, 68 percent will go straight back into the local economy
• Local businesses have created more than 65 percent of jobs since 1995