Covid-19 hit small, locally owned, or family businesses especially hard this year. This past spring, many had to shut their doors and lay off workers not knowing if they'd be able to reopen again. Thankfully, these past few months have seen a slow progression of reopenings across the country. Although things seem to be returning back to "normal," the pandemic took a massive toll on many restaurants who may have been struggling to maintain business before the virus hit its peak.

During this time, it's critical that people work together to strengthen their communities. One simple way to do that is by eating at family-owned restaurants that may be recovering from some serious financial losses. If you're in the Jacksonville area, here are some of my favorite local restaurants to support (just don't forget your mask when you go).