The Positive Change program raises money for local non-profit organizations working to better our community. We believe in the power of change and the power of community – Positive Change combines these two beliefs into one powerful program. The Positive Change program is one of the many ways the Co-op fulfills the seventh cooperative principle: Concern for Community.
Next time you check out, say “I’d like to round-up for Positive Change,” and we’ll round-up the total of your purchase to the nearest dollar, or you can donate any desired amount. Each month, the selected non-profit organization receives 100% of the donated funds, plus an additional mini grant from the Co-op (currently $400 each month). Annually, the Board of Directors selects one Positive Change recipient to receive an additional grant from our Cooperative Community Fund. Thank you for contributing to positive change and making a difference in our community!
The Medford Food Project
Round up this February to help provide food for hungry neighbors! The Medford Food Project is an innovative way to fight hunger in our community. You want to help, and they make it easy to work together to fight hunger and strengthen our community with their green bag program.
Every two months — on the second Saturday of every even month — Medford Food Project’s 185 Neighborhood Coordinators pick up bags of healthy nonperishable food that 2,800 neighbors food donors leave outside their front doors. They leave empty green bags for next time and take all the donations to local food banks. It’s that easy! In 2021, Medford Food Project collected over 220,000 pounds of food, equivalent to 176,692 meals.
The Medford Food Project has three main goals: to provide a regular supply of food to hungry neighbors; to create new neighborhood connections and strengthen the community; and to serve as a model for other communities. They are the largest grassroots all volunteer organization in Jackson County. Year round they work to combat food insecurity in our community and the Student Hunger Strike Force program has proven to be a significant benefit to their mission while providing the students with meaningful volunteer opportunities.
Funds will support the Medford Food Project’s student program: the Student Hunger Strike Force (SHSF). The SHSF works with students from several Jackson County high schools to provide a meaningful volunteer opportunity that fits into their schedules and service hour requirements and provides a valuable resource to the Food Project. During the school year, students work with the Food Project to do ongoing food drives, and/or sign-up new food donors for the MFP. This helps keep donor levels from declining through attrition. The program teaches students important leadership and communication skills and empowers them to make a real difference in their communities, while also providing a meaningful credit for their college applications and resumes.
We turn spare change into Positive Change for local non-profits.
The Positive Change program is for organizations seeking direct financial support. Positive Change recipients for 2025 will be selected by our owners in the 2024 Annual Election. If you or your organization would like to be notified when the 2026 application is available this fall, please contact us.
If you are seeking a food or gift card donation, please complete our Donation Request Form.
Spare change really adds up.
A few cents here and there add up to big impacts for our local non-profits.