North Shore Online Catalog Promotes Diverse Business Community

SALEM, MA — Nearly 140 minority- and women-owned businesses across the North Shore are featured as part of the newly launched North Shore Diversity Catalog.

Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott combined on the vendor registry in hopes of improving equity and diversity in awarding municipal contracts and to provide residents with a single, comprehensive catalog of minority- and women-owned businesses they can support.

The catalog can be found here.

"As we all emerge from this pandemic, let’s make sure we show our support for businesses in our region that are owned by women, minorities, immigrants, LGBTQ people, veterans, and those with disabilities," Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said. "Let's all commit to building a brighter future fueled by our passion for inclusivity and equity.

"Please find a way to support one or more of these businesses a month and see the power of how our hearts, wallets, and purse strings can drive positive change."

The North Shore Diversity Catalog is an outgrowth of the work of Salem's Race Equity Task Force and Beverly's diversity in public contracts efforts.

"I am very excited that our first Diversity Catalog is now available," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. "This directory will not only be an important tool as municipalities seek to diversify their procurement efforts, but it is also both a marketing tool for our local businesses and a resource for those who wish to support our diverse small business community.

"I look forward to working with our partner communities on growing this initiative in the years to come."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: North Shore Hub To Promote Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses