Change for Community Update

Selling groceries might keep our store in business, but giving back to our community is at the heart of what we do. In May 2018 we launched a new giving program to reap big reward for local non-profits, Change for Community. It’s been a great success and due to your generosity—rounding up your purchase total, donating pocket change and reusable bag credits (beans)—we raised $7,359 in donations! There’s even more potential to make a positive impact in 2019 and beyond as we build a bigger new store!

A slight change in 2019 is that we’ll be merging the Beans for Bags program into Change for Community in order to simplify communications and bookkeeping. Nothing besides the name will change about our popular reusable bag incentive program. You’ll still get a bean worth a nickel for every reusable bag that you can donate to a local non-profit. Change for Community becomes a community giving and reusable bag incentive program.

Fun fact: Beans for Bags has incentivized the use of 144,045 reusable bags and supported 35 different community organizations with $7401 in donations since May 2015. The co-op will continue to incentivize reusable bags and raise funds for community with Change for Community.

Based on 2018’s success, and what we’ve learned from other food co-ops doing similar programs, we think Change for Community is a powerful tool for doing good. With your help, we can be the positive change for community!

We welcome your feedback and questions about this program or anything else happening at your co-op! Contact Marketing Director Zetty Nemlowill zetty@astoria.coop