Help the Co-op Help the Haven!
added 02/15/10
Writing out your grocery list? Don’t forget to include supporting the Haven Food Drive! The Drive is in its 21st year and still going strong.
There are only a few days left in our food drive, and we need your help to collect 4,000 lbs of food!
Twenty-one years ago, a few visionaries at the Hanover Co-op came up with an idea: Pick a time of year when needy families are struggling to get by, and establish a food drive for an Upper Valley shelter in order to help them.
Today, The Haven Food Drive is still going strong—held each February in our Hanover store. The Haven is also our February Community Partner of the Month. Our goal this year is to collect 4,000 pounds of non-perishable foods, including items such as canned stews, hearty soups, tuna fish, canned fruits and vegetables, and cold cereal. Special shelf tags with The Haven Food Drive logo direct Hanover store shoppers to items that are needed the most. Shoppers at all Co-op locations can make a cash donation to the food drive at the check-out counter. The collected funds in the month of February will be used to buy items by the case.
The Upper Valley Haven
The Haven, located in White River Junction, Vermont, offers a variety of services—emergency food provisions among them—to Upper Valley residents who need a helping hand. February is a time of year when the weather is often at its worst and heating bills are often at their highest. In addition this year, global economic woes have pushed the budgets of many needy families to the breaking point. Most people who visit the Haven’s food shelf are working individuals and retired people who live on a fixed income.
Volunteers Needed!
Each year we depend on volunteers to box, weigh, and deliver food to The Haven from the Hanover store. This activity takes place at the volunteers’ convenience between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in February. Ideally, volunteers make a commitment to the four occurrences of one of those days. However, if this is not possible, consider offering your assistance as a substitute or a one-time volunteer. For more information, or to sign up, contact Michele Jordan by January 18th at (603) 640-6323 or send her an email.
