Every November and December, Hunger Mountain Co-op’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign raises food and funds for the Vermont Foodbank. With so much uncertainty surrounding federal assistance programs, it is more crucial than ever for communities to come together and support one another during difficult times. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are likely all familiar with someone struggling to put food on the table.  

Food insecurity is connected to economic insecurity, and economic insecurity is connected to inequality. This means that marginalized populations, like women, people of color, and the elderly, are at a higher risk of experiencing hunger.  As a co-op, it is part of our mission to help where we can. So, we teamed up with Northfield Savings Bank to kick off fundraising for our annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign by contributing $2,500 each. We then challenged our shoppers to raise an additional $2,500 through our Give Change register round-up program.  

I am thrilled to share that we surpassed our financial goal! Co-op shoppers raised $4,384, unlocking matching funds of $2,500 each from the Co-op, Northfield Savings Bank, Cabot Creamery, Radio Vermont Group, and Farrell Distributing, which enabled us to donate $21,884 to the Vermont Foodbank. For every $1 donated, the Foodbank can provide $4.14 worth of nourishing food, meaning that together we provide over $90,000 of food to neighbors in need. Together, we also raised 864 pounds of food. Those are some impressive numbers! A huge thank you to our Co-op community for stepping up and making a real difference.  

Vermont Foodbank is Vermont’s largest hunger-relief organization, providing nutritious food through a network of more than 300 community food shelves, meal sites, schools, hospitals, and housing sites. Last year, the Vermont Foodbank provided over 14 million pounds of food to people throughout Vermont, with approximately 50% of the food being fresh, including produce, meat, and dairy. They work with more than 200 Vermont farms, purchasing directly from local growers, keeping $1.8 million circulating in Vermont’s economy while strengthening our local food system. As a member of Feeding America, they are nationally recognized as one of the most effective and efficient nonprofits and food banks in the nation. Learn more. 

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished, but the need does not end with the holiday season. Consider:  

• Ensuring that everyone in Vermont always has enough to eat by donating to the Vermont Foodbank. 
• Signing up to volunteer and help get more food onto neighbors’ plates.   
• Helping spread the word. Follow the Vermont Foodbank on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to help us amplify our messages about how to access and provide help.