100% of proceeds will go to Opportunity Fund’s Small Business Relief Fund and California.com will offer free business profiles and promotion to local businesses

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., April 16, 2020 -- California.com, a One Planet company dedicated to showcasing the best of the state of California, has launched its new online merchandise store to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

Three limited-edition California.com T-shirts were designed to support California’s small businesses and celebrate community resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. 100 percent of T-shirt sale proceeds will be donated to Opportunity Fund’s Small Business Relief Fund, which will provide critical financial support and technical assistance to small businesses in California—especially those run by women, people of color, and immigrants.

“California.com was designed to highlight the goodness and uniqueness of California,” said One Planet CEO Payam Zamani. “California’s small businesses are part of what makes this state a wonderful place; we have to do all that’s possible to ensure that they will all survive this crisis. I know Californians are some of the most generous people and this fundraising campaign is a way we can make a humble attempt in keeping California small business owners in business and our main streets thriving.”

The T-shirts are available for pre-sale and will be printed and shipped to customers after the shelter-in-place mandate is lifted. California.com will send email updates to customers on the anticipated ship date. The funds from the T-shirt sales will be distributed ASAP.

“The CARES ACT Paycheck Protection Program still leaves many small businesses vulnerable, so it’s important that we take urgent action to keep small businesses alive and able to rebuild after the lockdown is lifted,” said Opportunity Fund CEO Luz Urrutia. “California.com is a great example of a California company that is pitching in to help other California companies. With California.com’s support, we will be able to provide struggling small businesses with loan payment relief, access to new funding and technical, financial and/or business assistance they may need.”

To further support the California business community, California.com is also offering no-cost business profile pages on its website to California-based businesses that meet its Recommended Business criteria for the 2020 program year.

The program is exclusive to California businesses that have verified high-quality products or services and that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to public good and serving their community. It is designed to promote the best California-based businesses and serves as an incentive to excellence, specified in three pillars.

A California.com Recommend Business must:

• Be highly regarded in its respective industry and by its customers
• Have a unique California dream story
• Love for its community as demonstrated by social impact work

All California-based businesses are eligible to apply for the California.com Recommended Business Program.

To nominate a business or to see if you qualify, please submit your inquiry to

partnerships@california-corp.com.

About California.com:

California.com is the go-to destination for discovering the very best of California and what the state has to offer locals and visitors. Our quality editorial content features curated adventures, engaging photography, profiles of real people and the amazing stories that make up California.

We aim to inspire people to explore the Golden State.

Discover all things California at California.com and follow @hellocalifornia on Instagram.