By Cameron Lee
December 2, 2025
CharlotteEAST — the nonprofit community-development organization originally founded in 2002 as a City of Charlotte task force, later known as the Eastland Area Strategies Team (E.A.S.T.), and now CharlotteEAST — has launched a new campaign designed to help re-energize east Charlotte businesses and save patrons money at the same time.
How it works
“Fuerza del Este,” which translates to “Strength of the East,” runs from November 29 to December 31 and will distribute $50 and $100 gift cards to select Eastland-area small businesses for shoppers who spend $25-$49 receiving a $50 gift card, and those who spend more than $50, a $100 gift card at participating restaurants, shops, markets, cafés, and retailers.
To redeem the gift card, customers simply upload a photo of their receipt through the CharlotteEAST website. On January 5, they’ll receive a list of businesses to choose from, with gift card pickup or delivery scheduled for January 19-23.
How it will impact the community
The effort aims to reinvigorate a community that has recently experienced significant financial losses — about $2,500 per day, according to survey data collected from several small business owners in the city. Executive Director Greg Asciutto, a former Garinger High School teacher, board chair in 2022, and the organization’s first executive director in 2024, says the goal is simple.
“Let’s take 15k and pump it back into gift cards to support both the consumers and the small businesses, while we also work on the back end to lobby for the creation of a small business grant relief fund,” Asciutto told us.
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Where are the funds coming from?
Funding for the gift cards (capped at $15,000) comes from a Start-Scale-Sustain (S3) Grant awarded by the City of Charlotte in 2024 to support emerging business-district organizations in historically underserved communities.
The “Fuerza del Este” campaign follows a similar initiative launched by CharlotteEAST over the summer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Eastland Mall — but this time, with greater accessibility.
“How do we immediately and quickly get money back into the small business ecosystem? Let’s not gamify it like we did before,” Asciutto said. “Make a direct purchase of $25 and we’ll give you 50 bucks, or make a purchase of $50 and we’ll give you $100.”
CharlotteEAST helps support more than 400 businesses in the Greater Eastland area
The Greater Eastland area, originally centered around Eastland Mall when it opened in 1975, spans Eastway Drive, The Plaza, W.T. Harris Boulevard, and Independence Boulevard. It remains one of the most culturally diverse areas in the city and state, home to several authentic Latin restaurants, Asian markets, bakeries, salons, auto shops, and unique retailers like VisArt Video.
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“It’s a great opportunity for people to come see what makes our side of town the most unique and the most special of anywhere else in the Piedmont,” Asciutto said. “You can go to 40 different countries within a two-mile strip on the same road… you’ll be hard-pressed to find that same type of diversity in many other places. We’re a proud community of working-class folks, OG Charlotteans, first- and second-generation immigrants, and just a community that’s going to continue to grow together.”
Bridging Language and Cultural Gaps
Asciutto acknowledges that communication gaps across many languages and cultures have been a challenge, but he says the election of Council Member J.D. Mazuera Arias, who will be the first Latino to serve on Charlotte City Council, along with support from State Representative Jordan Lopez, has made a major impact.
“It’s huge for our community… I cannot overstate. It’s just massive having him [J.D. Mazuera Arias] on the ground all throughout this, having Representative Jordan Lopez,” Asciutto said. “So we’re seeing a lot more businesses reach out to us about, hey, we need support with X, Y, and Z.”
What else is CharlotteEAST doing to help local restaurants?
As part of their efforts to further boost east Charlotte restaurants, the organization will also take 25 teachers from schools such as Garinger High School, Charlotte Language Academy, and Eastway Middle School out to restaurants including Los Primos Grill, Tacos El Regio, and El Pulgarcito — introducing educators to local spots while helping business owners see firsthand how the program supports them.
CharlotteEAST will partner with historian Tom Hanchett and History South to launch culinary tours in early 2026, with proceeds going directly to the featured businesses. Asciutto says work is also underway to structure a sustainable small business relief fund for future emergencies affecting the community.
The future of East Charlotte
Despite recent Customs and Border Patrol operations that severely impacted local businesses, Asciutto remains optimistic about the area’s future growth. Major upcoming developments — including Eastland Park, a new sports complex; Eastland Yards, an 80-acre mixed-use redevelopment; and new regional corporations and nonprofits adding hundreds of jobs in the area — point to a promising trajectory. Charlotte Museum of History’s recent designation as a Smithsonian Affiliate, also adds more cultural momentum.
With programs like Fuerza del Este, the hope is that the immigrant-owned and family-run businesses that have shaped east Charlotte for generations can continue to thrive for many more years to come.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Fuerza del Este campaign running from November 29 to December 31, which awards shoppers $50 and $100 gift cards. You can follow CharlotteEAST for more updates on Instagram and Facebook.
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