Change Within Reach Program
Our Change Within Reach program gives Co-op shoppers the chance to contribute to community organizations in a way that does not break the bank but cumulatively makes a huge impact. Each month a local non-profit organization is featured as the program’s recipient to receive one hundred percent of the funds raised over the course of that month. It is anticipated participating organizations could receive donations of $1,000-$2,000.
Shoppers 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 shoppers have raised over $150,000 for local non-profit organizations; in 2022 alone, over $21,400 was raised.
Your Co-op would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Co-op Shoppers for your continued donations and overall support of the program and another huge THANK YOU to the local non-profit organizations for the critical work they do to serve our Iron Range Community!
Are you affiliated with a local non-profit organization that would benefit from this program?
Every year, we ask local non-profit organizations that service our community to apply for this program.
The application process for 2024 closed August 31st, 2023.
Recipients will be selected in October; letters will be mailed out to all applicants by October 31st announcing which organizations are selected for 2024.
Letters announcing the selected recipients of the 2024 Change Within Reach program will be mailed in late October 2023 to every group that applied. With the influx of applications received we do our best to diversify the recipients selected from year to year. Those not selected are encouraged to apply again.
Change Within Reach Round-Up Program Eligibility:
- Your group must be a 501(c)3, 501(c)4 or other designated non-profit organization
- Your organization must serve the local Mesabi Iron Range community directly
- Your organization must be religiously and politically neutral
- Your organization must be non-discriminatory on the basis of any legally recognized category including but not limited to race, creed, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability
Current Recipient
Friends of the Virginia Public Library
Friends of the Virginia Public Library is a non-profit volunteer organization which works to support library programing such as the Children’s Summer Reading Program. They work to assist the library to support literacy in our community and develop ways for people who value reading and libraries to meet and connect. Funds raised during the month of September will be dedicated to supporting library programing.
2023 Recipients
- January: Twelfth Step House
- February: Ely Nordic Ski & Bike Club
- March: Quad City Food Shelf
- April: Bess Metsa Garden
- May: Mesabi Humane Society
- June: Growing Together Virginia Community Gardens
- July: Embarrass Region Fair Association
- August: Range Regional Animal Rescue
- September: Friends of the Virginia Public Library
- October: NHFC Microgrant Fund
- November: Habitat for Humanity
- December: Angel Fund
July’s Change Within Reach Recap
In July 2023, our shoppers donated $1,836.47 to the Embarrass Region Fair Association!
Donations to the Embarrass Region Fair Association during the month of July will be used to assist in their project to make the event center more energy efficient by replacing inefficient appliances with updated, eco-friendly options. The Embarrass Region Fair Association aims to connect the people in our community through events hosted on their property & the Timber Hall Event Center, a log cabin-style building situated in the heart of Embarrass.
Learn more about this program here.
As always, thank you for your continued support! Together, we can Change our community for the better.