With the coronavirus forcing businesses to shut down and leaving thousands out of work, small local businesses are suffering and unable to make ends meet.

What will keep the doors open to our favorite shops and local go-to's is our business and support to the community- and with the reopening of public places recently, this is a crucial time to help rebuild what was lost in the previous months of closures.

Our country is built off of big ideas and small businesses.

They provide employment opportunities and encourage bright minds to take action with theirs ideals. They are essential to our neighborhoods, families, and economies all together. These are people who put their trust in you, work to build a relationship, or better yet, a friendship, so the next time you enter their shop they can call you by name.

It doesn't require much effort to pitch in and support local. Some of the best and easiest ways to, can be done right from the comfort of your own home. Most restaurants now have the ability to deliver or have created flexible online services and ordering options, which means you have the ability to open up your computer and order in just a few minutes.

This will tremendously contribute to small business income and give you a tasty dish for dinner.

Purchasing gift cards or certificates for later user as gifts is also a great way to support, along with spreading to others the name of some your favorite local shops to help deliver the word and potentially bring further loyal business to them.

Although it might be difficult to physically shop at some businesses that are pending reopening, attempt to contact via phone and through websites to see if they offer remote services to their communities, and, simply shop online!

It's important to think outside the box as well and consider finding new community-run operations such as dog walkers, landscapers, and even laundromats.

A generous amount of boutiques, bakeries, nails salons, food trucks and mini-marts are scattered throughout your local cities, family-run and waiting to be discovered as well.

Shopping local farmers markets, outdoor neighborhood market booths and from self-made growers also helps you to get the freshest produce and foods and contributes to the families and farmers that are working hard for you by continuing to generate healthy options. This will allow your money to go back into the community, not into retailers.

And remember, tip your local service workers!

Heres a list of some small businesses in Arizona to help out:

1. Grams Mini Mart — Sun City

2. Azukar Coffee — Phoenix

3. Tucson Roadrunners — Tucson

4. Dottie Bea's All-Natural Sweet Treats — Phoenix

5. HaloDogs — Tucson

6. Papa Ed's Ice Cream — Glendale

7. Boissy Pool Service and Repair — Glendale

8. Honeymoon Sweets Bakery — Tempe