Time to Vote! Board Member Election ❦ From a Handful of Owners to Almost 4,000 – 40 Years of Growth! ❦ Board Report ❦ Change Within Reach Report ❦ Spring Classes at the Co-op ❦ Pioneer & Long Term Owner Gathering ❦ Owner Appreciation Day
... and much moreNatural Harvest Gives Back
Contributing to strong and sustainable economic solutions for community needs, as well as providing charitable contributions to local groups, is the co-op thing to do: it is one of our co-op principles.
Annually, we give gift cards, cash, and food donations to a variety of organizations throughout the community. School fundraisers, community health & wellness events, youth programs, animal rescue organizations, art & culture enrichment efforts, environmental solution workshops, food shelves, crisis foundations, literacy programs – working with these groups and more is how we connect and strengthen our community.
According to a National Co+op Grocers’ study, food co-ops, in general, have a more local impact than conventional grocery stores. For every dollar spent at a food co-op, $0.38 is reinvested back into the local economy compared to $0.24 at privately or investor-owned grocery stores.
Change Within Reach Program
Our Change Within Reach program gives consumers the chance to contribute to community organizations in a way that does not break the bank but cumulatively makes a huge impact on the recipient. Every month, a local non-profit organization is selected to be the recipient of all funds donated through the program. Customers donate by allowing their purchase amount to be rounded up to the next highest dollar. Since the program started in April of 2014, Natural Harvest customers have raised over $77,700; in 2018 alone over $17,000 was raised. We would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all who participate in this program.
Are you affiliated with a non-profit organization that would benefit from our Change Within Reach program? If your organization is registered with a 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status it is eligible to apply.
Deadline for 2020 Change Within Reach applications is 8/31/19.
The April recipient is the Northstar Foundation:
- The funds will be used to put on their Annual Northstar Children’s Arts Camp at Mesaba Co-op Park.
Upcoming Recipients:
January 2019: Project Warmth (RMHC)
February 2019: Camp Chicagami
March 2019: Quad City & Chisholm Food Shelves
April 2019: Northstar Foundation (Northstar Children’s Arts Camp at Mesaba Park)
May 2019: Bess Metsa Garden
June 2019: Range Transitional Housing
July 2019: Friends of the Virginia Public Library
August 2019: Team Different Not Less (Autism Association of Northern MN)
September 2019: Buddy Backpacks (United Way)
October 2019: TBA
November 2019: East Range DAC
December 2019: Mesabi Humane Society