October 15 to 21, you will have an opportunity to support a local charity every time you buy a sandwich at our deli, through the Sandwich Samaritan Program. When you purchase a select deli or grab-and-go sandwich made with McKenzie Natural Artisan Deli meats, McKenzie will donate one dollar to a local charity, up to $1,000. The recipient of these funds will be our neighbor here in Montpelier, Another Way Community Center.

This is the second year for the Sandwich Samaritan program, which McKenzie’s Business Manager George Brown says has been a “great way to work with our customers in supporting local needs.”

In its first year, the Vermont Food Bank and Camp Ta-Kum-Ta were the sole beneficiaries of the program. This year, the funds have gone to those two organizations and now to Another Way. This marks Hunger Mountain Co-op’s first involvement with the program, which as previously been at City Market in Burlington, Lantman’s Market in Hinesburg, Richmond Market, Jericho Market and Kountry Kart Deli in Burlington.

As the program has grown, with the help of all these partners, Brown says they have measured success by “how it benefits the community, the relationship it builds with our customers and consumers and the level of participation our customers put into the program…both in store and through media exposure.” He expects the program to evolve and change as they continue to observe and react to local community needs.

“We really appreciate Hunger Mountain Co-op putting so much support into this program,” Brown says. “We are proud to work with you on this to benefit Another Way.”

According to Another Way Community Center’s House and Garden Manager Amiee Powers, the organization’s mission is to provide a safe and friendly place to share community, to network and to learn from each other. “We welcome everyone,especially persons seeking to overcome struggles and live well. Another Way grew out of the psychiatric survivor movement to counter oppressive systems of control and we continue to advocate for freedom and self-determination of care.”

In the past year, Powers says, Another Way has grown by doubling the number of individuals who seek out the organization’s support.  She adds, “We are level-funded each year by our primary funder, The Vermont Department of Mental Health, meaning we receive the same amount despite increased expenditures for maintaining our services. We reach out to community partners in filling in the gaps for essential service sand needed upgrades.”

Currently,the organization is fundraising to purchase a commercial stove. The Sandwich Samaritan program will help them achieve that goal and allow them to replace two eight year old residential stoves.