Rally for Change

Anytime you check-out at City Market, you can choose to "round up" your total to the nearest dollar. At the end of the month, we donate 50% of those funds to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, 40% to an organization that aligns with our Global Ends, and 10% to a local non-profit.

In August, you collectively donated $18,026.97!

  • $9,013.49 for the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf
  • $7,210.79 for South End Arts and Business Association 
  • $1,802.69 for Emma's Foundation for Canine Cancer, Inc 
     

50% Partner (every month):

Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf

www.feedingchittenden.org

September's 40% Partner:

Burlington School Food Program

The Burlington School Food Project is a food service and Farm to School program that connects students and their families with whole, fresh, and local foods. They believe that all children should have year-round access to fresh, nutritious food--regardless of their ability to pay.

When children are hunger-free and well nourished, they perform better in school, they're sick less often, and they have fewer behavioral problems. This is why the Burlington School Food Project works hard to provide the daily healthy meals and expanded food choices they need to succeed. Meal service is offered 216 days of the year: 177 days during the calendar school year, and an additional 39 days during summer months. They provide universal free breakfast and afterschool supper district-wide.

In addition, they provide a wealth of food-related educational opportunities within the Burlington School District, from school gardens and cooking classes to their popular student-run summer food truck, Fork in the Road. 

For more information about the Burlington School Food Project visit their website.

September's 10% Partner:

United Way of Northwest Vermont

United Way of Northwest Vermont is on a mission to improve people’s lives in the community. United Way isn’t just a name, it’s how they work. They unite the whole community to solve complex problems – including hunger and food security. They believe real change is possible when nonprofit, public and private sectors team up to work together.

United Way strives to create a stronger Northwest Vermont where:

• All children, youth and young adults achieve their potential

• All people are financially stable

• All people have optimal health and well-being

In alignment with the outcomes they want for our community, they fund a portfolio of 80 programs at 42 local agencies, including programs that provide emergency food and shelter, and improve access to healthy food for all. Strategic initiatives and collaborations include those addressing the root causes of hunger and food security with partners within the community. For a complete list of investments, visit unitedwaynwvt.org.

United Way of Northwest Vermont is a local nonprofit that advocates for all our friends and neighbors and serves every town in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties. You can get involved and help make change by giving to the Community Campaign, volunteering or lending your voice to help inspire others. Join the movement! Learn more, browse volunteer opportunities and GIVE at unitedwaynwvt.org.

About Rally for Change

In October 2014, City Market updated its program for collecting donations at the register! Previously, we selected a different non-profit each month and donated 5 cents for each bag our customers reused (our "Change for Local Non-Profits" program). Every register also included tear off coupons so customers could donate to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. In addition, each year in February we sold $1 Hearts for the Intervale Center and in September $1 Lunch Trays for Hunger Free Vermont, with all donations going to each respective organization. We've consolidated all of these programs into our new "Rally for Change" program which allows customers to "round up" their order at each register, each time they check-out at the Co-op.

In the name of education, opportunity, and streamlining how we do things here at the Co-op, we created a Rally for Change program! This program allows customers to “round up” their payment at the register (e.g., a $25.42 checkout could be rounded up to $26 for a $0.58 donation). The Co-op will then donate this “round up” change to a variety of local non-profits each month (so, not just one!) that are doing amazing work in our community. Want to round up to the nearest five or ten dollars? You can do that too! Each month, we’ll share who will be receiving the donations (in our newsletter, with store signage and through staff education).

With more than 4,000 transactions each day through our registers, we all have the opportunity to share what we think of as “small change” to rally for bigger community-wide change. This new Rally program will take the place of the “tear off” coupons we have at the registers and will also take the place of our Change for Local Non-Profits (or bag refunds) program.

Not to worry, a large percentage of each month’s donation will go to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and we anticipate that this program will actually increase their donations. Through this new program, we will also continue to offer donations to local non-profits that are on the waiting list for our previous "Change for Local Non-Profits" bag refund program (and any new ones that we add to the list!). Here’s how the donation percentages will work out each month:

  • 50% to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, every month

  • 40% to an organization that aligns with the Co-op’s Global Ends

  • 10% to a local non-profit that may not directly align so closely with our Global Ends, but still works to make our community a better place (much like the Change for Local Non-Profits Program)

This new program gives our cashiers and staff an opportunity to engage with our customers and together we’ll both support and learn more about the organizations that make our community a better place to live. We’re excited to give it a try and are interested to hear what you think!

Past Recipients

Do you run a local non-profit that aligns with our Global Ends?

Your organization can apply to become a Rally for Change 10% Partner. We are currently filling slots 2 years out (it's a popular program and our community has many amazing non-profits!). Visit our donations page to learn how to apply.