If you’ve shopped at the Central Co-op on Capitol Hill in recent months, you might have been asked by your cashier if you’d like to round your grocery bill up to the nearest dollar for local food banks. This simple question has helped raise more than $6,000 in the past 19 months, resulting in a 400% increase of the Co-op’s donation to JFS.
“The on-going support from the Central Co-op is amazing,” says Carol Mullin, Director of Emergency Services. “They understand the needs in our community and express that support clearly through this initiative.”
“We thank our partners across the street for their active participation in our community,” says Mullin. “They’ve been longtime supporters of what we do here.”
JFS is one of two beneficiaries of this fundraising effort; the other being Centerstone Food Bank. Both food banks are located within minutes of the store.
“We’re committed to principles defined by our members,” says Community Outreach Administrator Webster Walker. “It’s not only about the bottom line; it’s about being a good member of the community. Everyone should have access to good, quality food.”
The Co-op donation comes via cash card which Emergency Services staff can then use for purchasing food for special programs including the Families Fight Hunger event and future cooking classes. On top of this already generous gift, the Co-op gives JFS a 5% discount off all sales under the program, plus an additional 10% off full-case orders, making their purchasing power go even further.
Walker notes that the front end of the store leads this fundraising effort. Cashiers promote the opportunity to round up to shoppers, and they report totals at the weekly department meeting. Before the program really took off, the average amount raised per day was $4.50, and now they raise an average of $50 per day.
“It’s completely voluntary for them to ask, but many see it as an opportunity to carry out their values,” says Walker. “It’s really a win, win, win. We love what we do and being able to support our neighbors is important to us and our members.”
By Leslie Sugiura
Savvy cook, extreme clam digger, urban gardener and mom to Stella the dog are just a few of the titles Leslie Sugiura keeps in rotation. She’s also the Director of Special Events for JFS where she spearheads the annual Community of Caring Luncheon.
