Sweet Cash program returns to Sugar Land

Sweet Cash, a gift-card purchasing program to support Sugar Land businesses through pandemic-related financial struggles, relaunched June 8.

Customers participate by purchasing a gift card, certificate or voucher, at a $50 minimum, from any Sugar Land business. In return, they are mailed a candy-shaped thank you voucher at the closest $50 increment equal to or less than their original purchase amount, to be redeemed at a participating local business. Amounts are matched up to $500.

“One of the best things about Sweet Cash 2021 is the ability for people to experience a new Sugar Land business that they might not have been to before,” said Cam Yearty, public private partnership manager for the city of Sugar Land.

The city has purchased $322,500 in thank you vouchers for 71 local businesses using Fort Bend County CARES Act funds, Yearty said.

There is no deadline to submit a proof of purchase, but the program will end when the limited thank you vouchers run out.

Designed by the City of Sugar Land Office of Economic Development as one of three #AllInForSLTX initiatives to strengthen the local economy, Sweet Cash first launched in June 2020 and then again in November 2020. According to Yearty, in its first round, the program received over 1,200 gift card submissions and put over $206,000 back into the local economy.

“The impact of Sweet Cash was widespread across the community,” Yearty said.