Community engagement and giving back to Cook County is part and parcel to how we operate. Our co-op is made up of members of our local community and beyond – owners, shoppers, and employees. We serve both inside the walls of our co-op and outside in the community.
Contact us to learn more about any of these programs. Funds should be used for a specific project, not for general operating costs.
Donations
Monthly giving; over $25K donated annually.
What makes a co-op grocery store different? Simple: community contributions. The Co-op is dedicated to supporting organizations in Cook County. Our primary focus areas are food access and equity, kids health, community wellbeing, and sustainable agriculture and food systems.
If you are part of a nonprofit organization in the area and seeking funds, please:
– Compete our Donation Request Form online
– Drop off a Donation Request Form (PDF) at the store
Donation Parameters:
– Located or operating physically in Cook County
– Address our primary focus areas
– 501(c)(3) status or associated with supporting public education
– Non-sectarian (non-religious / non-partisan)
Focus Areas:
– Food equity & access – free or reduced services
– Kids’ health – free or reduced services for kids under 18
– Sustainable agriculture and food systems – in the county and/or efforts supporting Cook County
– Community wellbeing & vitality – organizations that provide quality of life offerings to local residents
Roundup Program
Monthly giving; annual designations voted on the month before the new year. $80K+ donated by owners since the program refresh in 2022. Roundup recipients must meet our focus areas and donation parameters (see above), as well as be dedicated to an acute community need or marginalized community.
Give change, make change. Each month the Co-op selects a Cook County non-profit organization to support via our customer Roundup Program. Donating to the Food Shelf is always an option given that it ties directly to our goal of supporting food access and equity.
If you are part of a nonprofit organization in the area and would like to apply:
– Compete our Donation Request Form online
– Drop off a Donation Request Form (PDF) at the store
Please let us know if you’d like to apply for your group or if you have any questions. You can learn more about past recipients in our news section.
Local Producers Scholarship
Since 1990 – annually in the spring
We support local food production in Cook County, MN through scholarships for growers to establish or improve farmland, buy necessary equipment and supplies, and pay for education related to organic farming. The application process typically happens in May-June annually.
Adopt-a-Highway
Since 1990 – twice per year
The Cook County Co-op registered with the Adopt-a-Highway program at its inception in 1990, and we’ve been cleaning our strip of Highway 61 twice a year ever since. Highway Cleanups happen twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring.