Chambers Change Things: How Communities Told the Chamber Story on Support Your Local Chamber Day

ACCE News / October 30, 2026

How Communities Told the Chamber Story on Support Your Local Chamber Day

On Support Your Local Chamber Day, chambers, members, cities and national partners came together to show what chambers do every day. See how they celebrated and look ahead to 2027’s holiday.


"What is a chamber of commerce?"

On Oct. 21, that question was viewed more than half a million times on Instagram. It came from Morning Brew, a digital media and business news company with a large audience of younger professionals and business leaders. ACCE collaborated with Morning Brew on the reel as a paid partnership under the Chambers Change Things campaign. The goal was simple: help more people understand the difference chambers make.

Around the country, chambers also answered this question with their own stories. So did their members, their cities and their partners.

Chambers’ Members Told the Story

Some of the most memorable posts came from businesses and organizations speaking up for their chambers.

  • Russell Country FCU made a TikTok after the Great Falls Area Chamber stopped by. The caption: "No warning. No rehearsal. Just vibes."
  • Great Harvest Bread Co. in Grand Blanc, Michigan, explained why its chamber matters in a video from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
  • Pickerington Public Library and other members shared why membership in the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce in Ohio matters, a series of posts throughout the day.

When a member tells the story, the message carries more weight than any chamber could give it alone.

Communities Made It Official

Several chambers took the celebration beyond social media and into city hall, the newsroom and their own front doors.

  • Proclamations: City and county leaders made the day official in several states.
  • Earned media: Local news outlets carried the story in several states.
    • The Odessa American covered the Odessa Chamber of Commerce's plans for Texas Chamber of Commerce Week and Support Your Local Chamber Day. The story was also republished on Yahoo News.
    • The Express in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, reported on Centre County's proclamation honoring the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County, which marked the day with its Centre County Business Awards.
    • Chicago City Wire covered the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's celebration, which invited members to share why membership matters to them.
    • The Colorado County Citizen in Texas reported that the city of Columbus and Colorado County both recognized the Columbus Chamber.
  • Events with an offer: The Laredo Chamber of Commerce in Texas hosted a three-hour open house with a $60 ribbon-cutting for non-brick-and-mortar businesses. New members who joined that day got a $60 voucher toward a future ribbon cutting.

  

Partners Amplified the Message

National and state partners carried the message to audiences chambers rarely reach on their own.

  • Comcast Business partnered with ACCE to support the campaign. Senior Vice President Bret Perkins shared a post on Linkedin highlighting relationships and Comcast’s commitment to understanding local priorities through partnerships with chambers nationwide. With 34 reposts and over 100 reactions, this post resonated across the platform.
  • Morning Brew put the chamber story in front of a national audience. The collaborative reel drew more than half a million views and earned over 1,800 interactions, including 135 saves and 58 shares.
  • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce shared member stories and pointed viewers to find their local chamber.
  • The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued a press release and published a blog celebrating local chambers across the state.

“Every day, chambers strengthen their communities, but too often that work goes unseen,” said Sheree Anne Kelly, president and CEO of ACCE. “This year, we brought the chamber story to new audiences. Support Your Local Chamber Day is one day, but the work it celebrates happens all year.”

More Chambers in the Spotlight

  • Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky, asked, "What's your chamber connection?" in a carousel built around faces, milestones and the power of local. View Post
  • Commerce Lexington Inc., Kentucky, paired its full team photo with the campaign graphic. View Post
  • Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan, led with proof: 1,066 member businesses across Eaton, Ingham and Clinton counties. View Post
  • Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center, South Carolina, put its members on camera with a direct message to the community. View Post
  • Madison Chamber of Commerce, Alabama, shared a candid photo collage of its staff at work. View Post

By the Numbers (Early Results for October 2026)

        

Sources: Mentionlytics 10/1/26 – 10/30/26

Looking Ahead to 2027

  • Hand the microphone to members. Member voices drove some of this year's strongest posts.
  • Give people a reason to act. Laredo's offer shows how a celebration can grow membership.
  • Bring the story to new audiences. Partners like Morning Brew reach people who have never thought about what a chamber does.
  • The campaign resources stay available year-round. Visit ChambersChangeThings.com and continue to tell your chamber's story.

 

ACCE thanks Comcast Business for partnering with us to amplify and provide resources to chambers of commerce in 2026.

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