We did it! Together, we have raised over $1 million for local St. Paul nonprofits.
We could not have hit this huge milestone without the incredible generosity of our shoppers. To reach $1 million, 3,298,523 people have donated a bag credit or rounded up at the register. Wow!
Our Positive Change Program began in April 2015 as a direct way for our staff, shoppers, and member-owners to support local nonprofits. The program supports organizations working in food access, racial and social justice, and local food system support. We select one nonprofit based in or doing work in St. Paul each month to receive donations from shoppers rounding up their purchases or donating their 10-cent bag credits. That might seem like only a few cents or spare change, but it adds up to over $10,000 each month. This is the power of the program — it is a grassroots effort with small donations from so many different people. The nonprofits we support are often small, and these dollars make a huge difference in the important work they do!
Fun Facts
- Our Positive Change Program isn’t the first time our shoppers have donated at the register. A version of this program began in 2006, where shoppers could donate 5-cent bag credits — totaling around $300 to $400 per month.
- Organizations are eligible to receive donations once every two years. Dream of Wild Health, Face to Face, HAFA, Midwest Food Connection, Minnesota Food Association (now the Food Group) and Urban Roots have been featured recipients at least 3 times since the program began!
- Department of Indian Work, Hallie Q. Brown, Midway United Fund/Voices for Racial Justice, and Women’s Advocates have received the highest donations, with $14,000 or more raised during their featured month.
- Each year our highest donation month has been March, when we donate money and food to our five partner food shelves as part of Minnesota FoodShare. This year, we raised 17,022.01 dollars/pounds of food. And since the start of this program, we have donated over $158,000 to our local food shelves!
Watch the thank-you video below to see some of our past nonprofit recipients: