Louisiana has a strong reputation of staring down and overcoming adversity time and time again. This perseverance will be tested with our collective approach to beating the coronavirus, and I am highly confident Louisiana will once again band together, help our neighbors and show the world that no challenge is too strong for our people, writes LABI President and CEO Stephen Waguespack in a special opinion piece.

In that vein, LABI is asking Louisianans across the state to take the #giftcardchallenge. Small restaurants and retailers across Louisiana have seen their markets evaporate almost overnight and, for many of them, this situation is not sustainable. So to help them bridge this temporary disturbance in their business so that they can keep serving the communities they love, we are asking folks to purchase a gift card to their favorite local small business outlet.

Whether you buy a gift card online or in person, take the time to support your local small business retailer and encourage others to do the same, Waguespack writes. Read Waquespack’s full column.