Los Alamos Reporter

Find Out About ‘The Local Love Initiative’ And How To Enter The ‘Snap, Tag And Share Contest

Editor’s note: People are asking questions about the new Local Love Los Alamos & White Rock Initiatiive by Places and Spaces Los Alamos. Photos and publicity connecting local businesses to the community, commuters and vsitors are appearing online, drawing attention to local commerce opportunities. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, readers are excited to learn about opportunities to make purchases locally that they hadn’t even realized were an option. And there’s the added incentive of prizes to be won between now and Jan. 9, 2026!

The following information is taken from the Local Love website at https://tinyurl.com/myLocalLove

1. What is the Local Love Initiative?

The Local Love Initiative, spearheaded by Places and Spaces Los Alamos (PSLA), is a year-round strategy that encourages, rewards, and celebrates local commerce. The mission is to identify and implement methods that make it easier for locals, visitors, and commuters to connect with the business community, improving year-round revenue and traffic. This strategy is designed to help small businesses recover from challenges like high operational costs and labor issues and achieve sustainable local growth.

2. Why is shopping local so important to Los Alamos and White Rock?

When you shop local, you activate the “local multiplier effect.” Economic policy experts estimate that for every $100 spent at a local, independent business, approximately $58 remains in the local economy, nearly double the amount retained when spent at a chain ($33). Beyond the money, local businesses are crucial community anchors—they hire local people, use local services, and contribute tax revenues that fund local infrastructure, schools, and sports teams. Supporting them is vital for the community’s overall health and resilience.

3. What is the current promotion, and when does it run?

The current promotion is the Local Love Snap, Tag, and Share Holiday Promotion. This contest is currently running and allows you to enter anytime, as many times as you want, through January 9, 2026.

4. Which businesses are considered “local” and eligible for the contest?

Every local business is included. A “local business” is defined as a small, independent establishment located in the Los Alamos area, including White Rock, that provides goods and/or services to the public. While the program focuses on merchant businesses (shops, stores, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and service providers), any local business may participate. There are 100+ eligible local businesses in the area, and a full list is available on the initiative website. If you think it’s a local business, it probably is. If you think a local business is missing from the list, encourage them to register at www.tinyurl.com/mylocallove or email us at placesandspacesla@gmail.com, and we will try to contact them.

5. How do I enter the Snap, Tag, and Share Contest?

Getting involved is easy and requires only three steps:

  • Snap: Visit a local business and take a photo/selfie of your purchase, a purchase receipt, or of your visit.
  • Tag: Create a public post on your Facebook or Instagram public timeline and include the hashtags #lalocallove and @placesandspacesLA and the name of the business. Failure to use a public post and include the @placesandspacesLA tag means your entry may not be seen by our entry tabulators.
  • Share: Post the entry to your Facebook or Instagram timeline.

If you use the built-in Facebook check-in feature to identify the business, your post will count as two contest entries. You may include a comment, review, testimonial, or story in the post, or a video (less than 45 seconds), which will qualify your entry to be considered for selected Grand Prizes.

6. What if I don’t use Facebook or Instagram, or want to post on TikTok?

If you do not use Facebook or Instagram, you may submit your entry via email. Email entries must be sent to placesandspacesla@gmail.com, include the subject line “Local Love Contest Entry,” and include your name, phone number, and the required photo/receipt and business name/tag information. By submitting an email entry, you authorize Places and Spaces Los Alamos to share the content in publicity and on social media. If you are a TikTok user, also include a link to your TikTok post.

7. What kind of prizes can I win?

More than $1500 in Gift Card prizes will be awarded, and every valid entry is eligible for both weekly and grand prizes. All prizes are awarded as Local Love Gift Cards that can be used for purchases at local businesses.

  • Weekly Prizes: One winner is randomly drawn each week to receive a $100 Local Love Gift Card.
  • Grand Prizes: Several Grand Prizes are awarded in January from all entries received during the contest. Categories include:
    • $250 Local Supporter Card for Most Posts Submitted.
    • $150 Local Supporter Cards for the Highest Receipt Total, Best Overall Story, Most Unique Item Purchased, Tastiest Looking Meal, Most Enticing Drink, and Best Video Testimonial.

8. How can I improve my chances of winning?

  • Everything starts with snapping a picture or shooting a video clip. You can use a picture/video you took in the past, take a picture/video with your phone’s camera, or take a picture/video right in a new social media post.
  • You don’t need to post in real-time while you are at the local business. Feel free to do it later at home or elsewhere.
  • Make sure your social media post is set to “Public” (in the menu near the top of the post).  If it isn’t public, the contest volunteers won’t be able to see it, and it won’t get registered as an entry.
  • At a minimum, include the hashtag #LALocalLove in the post. Including a story about your visit or history with the business, a testimonial, or other comment will make you eligible for bonus prizes in the Grand Prize round.
  • Using the Facebook “check-in” in your post will count as two entries.
  • You can also post a picture of a receipt. One of the Grand Prize categories is for the biggest receipt total. Be sure that the receipt total, business name, and date are visible.
  • Spread the love. Share your entry with local FB groups that you participate in.

9. Who is running the Local Love Initiative?

The initiative is spearheaded by Places and Spaces Los Alamos (PSLA). PSLA is an all-volunteer, 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization in Los Alamos, NM, focused on supporting community life in Los Alamos & White Rock, and they consider local businesses vital places and spaces for that community life. The holiday promotion is brought to you by Places and Spaces Los Alamos, working together with Bee House Design.