NORTHAMPTON — River Valley Co-op donated more than $20,000 to the Northampton Survival Center last month as its November “Change for Change” honoree. The donations were gathered at the checkouts inside River Valley’s store locations.
“We’re so grateful that River Valley Co-op chose the Northampton Survival Center to receive funds from this program this season,” Northampton Survival Center Executive Director Heidi Nortonsmith told Reminder Publishing.
“It’s been a complicated time in the food insecurity world, and a donation of this size gives us a great deal of flexibility in responding to the elevated need we’re addressing right now. Just as critically, it’s an emotional shot in the arm to have this kind of groundswell of support, reminding us that the whole community is embracing food security with us,” she continued.
Each time a customer shops at River Valley Co-op, they are given the opportunity to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with the extra cents going into the Change for Change donation fund. That fund is allocated each month to a local nonprofit organization nominated and chosen by co-op members.
This donation is the largest of the co-op’s last four monthly Change for Change contributions to local food security focused on nonprofits, which totaled nearly $62,000. These contributions included $13,745 for the Easthampton Community Center, $14,064 for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and $13,915 for Manna Community Kitchen.
In December the co-op is collecting donations for Hampshire Support Alliance.
“This cooperative community-driven initiative turns small change from thousands of everyday grocery purchase into impactful contributions to support local nonprofits,” said River Valley Co-op General Manager Rochelle Prunty. “Food insecurity is especially critical now with our federal government withholding SNAP benefits for several weeks and their announced cuts to this important food security program impacting tens of thousands of vulnerable community members, and putting additional demands on our local food pantries to fill the gap. This enthusiastic food co-op shopper support shows the power of joining together with small acts of kindness to support each other: when we all give a little, it adds up to making a significant impact.”
The $20,309 raised will enable the Northampton Survival Center to keep up with high levels of increased demand from new and returning clients worried about food insecurity while they navigate threats to SNAP, heating assistance and general economic instability.
“It’s heartening to know that this community wants to ensure our neighbors are fed,” said Nortonsmith. “We expect to provide weekly groceries to more than 4,000 clients this year, and these funds help us do that. We encourage folks who are struggling to come to us, secure in knowing that we’ll always have groceries for those who need them. It’s thanks to our community that we’re able to follow through on that promise.”
The co-op’s partnership with the Northampton Survival Center began when the store first opened in 2008. Now with stores in both Northampton and Easthampton, the combined annual contributions of food to the Northampton Survival Center and the Easthampton Community Center total 52 tons annually.
“We are grateful to all our participating shoppers and the great work every day by the staff and volunteers of the Northampton Survival Center, the Easthampton Community Center, the Food Bank of Western Mass., Manna’s Community Kitchen and other local organizations and people working to address food insecurity. We are so happy to be able to work together with these important nonprofits to help address food insecurity in our community,” added Prunty.
The success of this campaign underscores River Valley Co-op’s long-standing commitment to supporting local organizations that promote food access, social justice and community resilience.
“River Valley Co-op customers care about good food. They prioritize things like nutrition, taste, dietary access and the local food economy,” said Nortonsmith. “At the Northampton Survival Center, we prioritize those things for our clients too — everyone deserves to have food that nourishes them and the world around them. Our long-standing partnership with the Co-op helps us stay in the awareness of their customers who want to lift up those values for their neighbors.”
Easthampton Community Center Executive Director Robin Bialecki told Reminder Publishing they received $13,745 earlier this fall when the center was the recipient of the Change for Change program. Bialecki said she visits the co-op almost every morning to see what food they can bring to the center that would otherwise go to waste.
“They’re a great partner to work with,” said Bialecki. “We actually are the largest pantry that is part of the food bank system. We serve more people more food. Everyone is always like, ‘you’re such a cute little building,’ but because of the programs that we have, we actually serve more people.”
Bialecki said the vast number of people being served by the community center now isn’t really their choice, but a result of the continued rise of food insecurity, plus any potential destabilizing that came to families with the recent SNAP scare.
Another reason the Easthampton Community Center’s services have expanded so wide is due to its programming. Bialecki explained they have an allergy and gluten free pantry, so a lot of doctors in the area will refer clients to the center. She added they have clients coming from as far as North Adams and Pittsfield once a month to get medically-necessary food items.
They also offer a pantry for kosher and halal foods to the community. Bialecki reiterated her gratitude for River Valley Co-op’s partnership and efforts to support organizations like them as the fight against food insecurity rolls on.
River Valley Co-op Director of Marketing Natasha Latour told Reminder Publishing the co-op has deep gratitude for their generous customers for their willingness to participate in the Change for Change program, leading to these donation amounts.
“The significant impact that we can have in the community, there’s no words. You’re taking small change that people give at the register and the impact that it can have on the community’s nonprofits is something that I will never take for granted. I think it’s really meaningful and certainly needed more now than ever,” said Latour.
Latour added that Change for Change was initially conceived as the “Green Scout” program to raise money for local nonprofits and to get their shoppers engaged in supporting a local community group. She shared that in 2010, the Green Scout program raised $4,486 in donations for local nonprofits. For FY25, they raised $146,613 through Change for Change.
“It’s absolutely incredible growth,” said Latour. “The first year we donated to the Northampton Survival Center, we raised $510. So, the stark difference from 2010 to 2025 is incredible, and we owe it all to the community and its support, and also to our staff for engaging with the customers and trying to raise these funds.”
