COVID-19 Member & Shopper Update 3/19
Dear Co-op Members and Shoppers,
Thank you for your patience and support. It has been heartening to receive so many appreciations, expressions of concern, and offers to help. This crisis confirms for me the power of our local community. We are compassionate and resilient, and we are blessed with a strong local food system. This may well be the collective challenge of our lifetimes, and we are up to it.
As we adjust to new levels of staffing, customer demand, and product supply, our co-op needs to shift our hours of operation. Starting Friday, March 20, Hunger Mountain Co-op will be open 9 am – 6 pm daily. This reduced schedule will provide much-needed time for stocking, cleaning, and developing additional systems to serve the community.
We all play a critical role. Going forward, for the sake of everyone’s health, we ask that you follow these guidelines when shopping the Co-op:
Shopper Code of Conduct
- Do not come to the Co-op if you are symptomatic of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath).
- Please reserve the first hour of business (now 9—10 am) for high-risk shoppers, which includes seniors and those with underlying health issues.
- Maintain a six-foot distance from others.
- Shop efficiently and socialize outdoors.
- Consider ways to minimize shopping trips for your neighbors and family.
- Shop solo, including without children to the extent possible.
- Cover your cough/sneeze, wash hands, use sanitizer, and try to touch only the products you purchase.
In the coming days, we will begin limiting the number of shoppers in the store at peak times for safety purposes. We recognize the inconvenience this may cause, and thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. We appreciate you and your support in helping to protect our community.
A word on product availability: Like other all grocers, we are experiencing supply disruptions. Our focus is on the staple items that shoppers need now. We are fortunate to have such a robust network of local producers, and we have had a steady supply of local produce, meat, milk, eggs, bread, and more. We encourage you to check the Co-op’s Facebook page for daily updates on our inventory. As the CDC recommends, please limit purchases to no more than a two-week supply so that there is enough for others.
Finally, let us all express our appreciation for Co-op staff who are truly essential workers. No one signed up for these conditions, but the team here is doing what we can to provide what our community needs from us.
Be well,
Kari Bradley, General Manager
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