River Valley Co-op Raises More Than $20,000 for Northampton Survival Center
NORTHAMPTON — On Dec. 2, River Valley Co-op announced a contribution of more than $20,000 to support the Northampton Survival Center. This contribution was made through the co-op’s November Change for Change round-up donations at the checkouts in both the Northampton and Easthampton store locations.
This is the most recent and largest of the co-op’s last four monthly Change for Change contributions to local food security focused nonprofits, which totaled more than $62,000. These contributions included $13,745 for the Easthampton Community Center, $14,064 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, $13,915 for Manna Community Kitchen, as well as the November contribution of $20,309 for the Northampton Survival Center.
Each time a customer shops at River Valley Co-op, they are given the opportunity to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with the extra cents going into the Change for Change donation fund. That fund is allocated each month to a local nonprofit organization nominated and chosen by co-op member votes.
“This cooperative, community-driven initiative turns small change from thousands of everyday grocery purchases into impactful contributions to support local nonprofits. Food insecurity is especially critical now with our federal government withholding SNAP benefits for several weeks and their announced cuts to this important food security program impacting tens of thousands of vulnerable community members and putting additional demands on our local food pantries to fill the gap,” said Rochelle Prunty, general manager of River Valley Co-op. “This enthusiastic food co-op shopper support shows the power of joining together with small acts of kindness to support each other: when we all give a little, it adds up to making a significant impact.”
The $20,309 raised will enable the Northampton Survival Center to keep up with high levels of increased demand from new and returning clients worried about food insecurity while they navigate threats to SNAP, heating assistance, and general economic instability.
“It’s heartening to know that this community wants to ensure our neighbors are fed,” said Heidi Nortonsmith, executive director of the Northampton Survival Center. “We expect to provide weekly groceries to more than 4,000 clients this year, and these funds help us do that. We encourage folks who are struggling to come to us, secure in knowing that we’ll always have groceries for those who need them. It’s thanks to our community that we’re able to follow through on that promise.”
The success of this campaign underscores River Valley Co-op’s long-standing commitment to supporting local organizations that promote food access, social justice, and community resilience. The Change for Change program has supported dozens of nonprofits across the region by pooling small donations at the register into substantial grants.
River Valley Co-op’s partnership with the Northampton Survival Center began when the store first opened in Northampton in 2008 and began weekly contributions of food. Now with stores in both Northampton and Easthampton, the combined annual contributions of food to the Northampton Survival Center and the Easthampton Community Center total 52 tons annually.
“We are grateful to all our participating shoppers and the great work every day by the staff and volunteers of the Northampton Survival Center, the Easthampton Community Center, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Manna Community Kitchen, and other local organizations and people working to address food insecurity,” Prunty added. “We are so happy to be able to work together with these important nonprofits to help address food insecurity in our community.”
The co-op also offers its low-income shoppers at both stores the opportunity to sign up for its Food for All program to get a 10% discount on grocery purchases; both stores also accept SNAP.