Hundreds of employees of The Hartford showed up at local businesses in 14 cities with money to spend, forming “Hart Mobs” in support of small business.

By patronizing local businesses in cities across the country, the employee groups supported the Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week (May 12-16) and celebrated the positive contributions that small businesses owners have on their local communities.

“Organizing a group of employees to shop or eat at our neighborhood small businesses is a great way to show our support and build stronger relationships with our local small business owners,” said Ray Townsend, founder of the Hart Mobs and a premium auditor at The Hartford. “The Hart Mobs were created by employees and our goal is to support local small businesses whether or not they are a customer of The Hartford.”

Hart Mobs are an employee-led movement that began in October 2012 when employees in the company’s Small Commercial business and their friends and families organized “cash mobs” to patronize The Hartford’s small business customers. The program has since grown organically into a company-wide effort that has expanded to include businesses beyond The Hartford’s customers.

To date there have been nearly 400 employees supporting 24 small businesses in 15 cities across the country. These numbers continue to grow.

Hart Mobs planned to visit the following cities May 10-17 in support of National Small Business Week:

• Allentown, Pennsylvania
• Alpharetta, Georgia
• Bloomfield, Connecticut
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Clinton, New York
• Frisco, Texas
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• New Hartford, New York
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Oswego, Illinois
• Overland Park, Kansas
• Placerville, California
• Santee, California
• Seabrook, Texas

Source: The Hartford