Food Access at the Co-op
What are we doing to help our neighbors in need?
If you’ve spent any time in Waldo County, you know how close-knit our community is. Whenever there’s a need, people step up to help. Now, as some of our neighbors face the very real threat of not having enough to eat, we’re once again coming together to support one another.
When we received news that SNAP benefits would not be released for November, our community immediately began asking, “How can we help those who rely on these benefits to feed their families?” Partnerships began to form, and what’s emerged is truly inspiring.
At the Belfast Community Co-op, we are deeply committed to making food accessible for all. We strive to offer products that meet a range of price points, including our Co-op Basics line of Field Day products. Our Produce Department searches for the best deals across local, organic, and conventional options to ensure there’s something for everyone. We regularly discount meat nearing its sell-by date, and our Bulk Department allows shoppers to buy only what they need. Still, we recognize that even with these money-saving options, affording groceries can be challenging. Food is expensive—and that’s why we’re finding more ways to help.
Inside the store, you’ll find our CORE (Cooperative Ownership Reaching Everyone) program. This initiative helps make local, organic, and wholesome foods more affordable to qualifying community members by offering a 10% discount on most products. Recipients of programs such as EBT/SNAP, TANF, HEAP, SSI, or WIC are eligible to apply, and those receiving other forms of assistance are encouraged to reach out to see if they qualify.
Behind the scenes, we regularly donate food to the Belfast Soup Kitchen, and we’ve recently increased those donations—with your help. You may have noticed our Donate $5, $10, or $20 cards at the registers. These contributions support our Cases for a Cause drive, which uses the Co-op’s buying power to order cases of food at reduced cost for donations to support food access in our community. This way, your donation dollars go even further to provide more food for more people.
For those who prefer to give directly, we’ve also set up a food donation box at the front of the store. These donations are delivered to the Belfast Soup Kitchen to help meet immediate needs.
Our newly formed volunteer group, FAST (Food Access Support Team), is made up of Co-op workers dedicated to identifying and responding to food access needs in our community. FAST has already partnered with several local organizations, donating ingredients and supplies to help prepare and deliver meals to those who need them most.
Our work doesn’t stop there. We’ll keep looking for ways to strengthen food access and support those facing food insecurity because we are more than just a grocery store. We are owned by our community, and it guides us in all that we do.
Stay tuned as we pivot to find more ways to help our customers affected by the SNAP freeze.
