October is Co-op Month — and this year, there’s even more to celebrate! The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” This global campaign recognizes how co-ops like ours help advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals — from ending hunger to promoting good health and well-being.
At your Co-op, we live these values every day through community giving, sustainability, and partnerships that strengthen our local food system.
Giving Back to Our Community
When you shop at the Co-op, you’re part of something bigger. Our Pennies for Change program is a perfect example — your rounded-up change supports nonprofits doing good work in our region. Our employee-led Social Impact Committee helps ensure our giving aligns with our shared values.
Our Food Access Programs are designed to make healthy, nutritious food available to everyone in our communities, regardless of income. Food for All and Double Up Food Bucks are two popular programs that have been part of our Food Access programming for many years.
We are a long-time supporter and sponsor of our friends at Willing Hands, and with cooperation in mind, we’re proud to announce a brand-new partnership—the donations of Prepared Foods!
We also invest through the Hanover Cooperative Community Fund, which contributes to a national cooperative endowment. The interest from that fund supports local grants and scholarships each year — multiplying the good we can do together.
And yes, some of our own business funds go directly to local causes, too, through small donations and community raffles. Every contribution, large or small, helps us stay connected to the people and organizations that make our communities thrive.
Sustainability in Action
We’re also working hard to reduce waste and offer greener options. You may have noticed new packaging in our bulk and prepared foods departments — part of our ongoing effort to cut down on single-use plastics.
We’ve also teamed up with Reusable Solutions to recycle those plastic four-pack beer can tops. Drop yours off in our Lebanon store (and soon in Hanover and WRJ), and they’ll be recirculated to local breweries.
Together, these small steps add up to a big difference.
Want to Learn More?
Explore our 2023 Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Report at coopfoodstore.coop/business-reports, or reach out to April Harkness here.
Thanks for being part of the movement — every day you shop, you help build a better world.
April Harkness is the Co-op’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Program Manager.
