Food Access
One in six individuals in Waldo County is affected directly by food insecurity: unsure where the next meal is coming from or if there will be enough for everyone in their family to eat.
CORE
At the Belfast Community Co-op, we are committed to accessibility, inclusivity, and serving our community. The CORE (Cooperative Ownership Reaching Everyone) program is designed to make local, organic, and wholesome foods more affordable to qualifying members of our community. We offer rolling acceptance for new participants and annual re-enrollment verification for current and past participants.
Generally, CORE is available for those who currently receive economic assistance through EBT/SNAP, TANF, HEAP, SSI, or WIC. If you receive another form of assistance, please reach out. The requirements and details are updated from time to time, so please check with the Co-op for the latest information. The decision to assess qualification based on participation in specific government assistance programs rather than solely on income levels was made after careful consideration. While we recognize that income level is a crucial aspect of financial need, our aim with this assessment is to streamline the qualification process and ensure consistency in our evaluations. Obtaining, assessing, and confirming a family’s total income is not something the Co-op feels qualified or comfortable doing. We look for a 3rd party verifying agency and a current date range of enrollment and that is sufficient information for us to determine participation.
CORE participants must be current with their Co-op equity payments of $10/yr/person. If ownership or CORE expires, a retroactive discount on a previous purchase is not available.
Upon acceptance into the CORE program, current Co-op owners and prospective owners who qualify for the program receive an extended equity payment schedule and a 10% discount on most of our products (excluding alcohol, brewing supplies, and periodicals). This discount will be applied in addition to Co+op Deals sales, but cannot be combined with any other discounts.
For more details on the CORE program, contact ownership@belfast.coop.
Food Assistance Programs
In addition to the CORE progam, the Belfast Community Co-op accepts SNAP/EBT, WIC, and proudly supports the Farm Fresh Rewards program.
SNAP/EBT
SNAP/EBT is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net in the country, offering nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and providing economic benefits to communities. Click here for more information.
Farm Fresh Rewards
Through Farm Fresh Rewards, shoppers using SNAP/EBT receive a discount on fruits and vegetables. The Belfast Community Co-op is proud to participate in the program. To sign up, ask for an application at our Customer Service desk.
Click this link to find out more about Farm Fresh Rewards.
Farm Fresh Rewards also works with the Maine Harvest Bucks program at participating farmers’ markets, CSAs, and farm stands around the state. Maine Harvest Bucks is managed by Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets.
WIC Program
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is better known as the WIC Program. WIC provides complete nutrition care for thousands of Maine families, helping Maine kids to grow up strong and healthy. The WIC program serves more than 16,500 individuals. Pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age five are eligible. Participants must live in Maine WIC food benefits are available based on income guidelines and up-to-date nutrition research.
Find out more about the program here: Maine WIC portal
We’re proud to be the first food co-op in Maine to offer WIC!
