In addition to adding Hours for At-Risk Shoppers, we continue to explore other services we might offer to meet emerging community needs. As we consider each new offering, we need to maximize positive impacts in our community while keeping the safety and capacity of our staff front and center.

Our Staff

Many of you have expressed appreciation and concern for our staff, thank you. We are equally grateful for all the work they do, and we continue to work to improve their safety during this crisis. To show our appreciation, we will provide temporary additional compensation to all of our employees. Please join me in thanking our staff for the critical role they play in keeping our community healthy and fed.

Monadnock United Way COVID-19 Relief Fund

Our Round It Up program is an incredibly effective way for us to raise funds for local nonprofits. So, this Monday, we launched a Round It Up donation drive for the Monadnock United Way COVID-19 Relief Fund. You can donate to this fund online and round up your change to the nearest dollar when you shop at our co-op. Rest assured, 100% of the funds raised will go to local agencies providing relief to families in the Monadnock Region. We’re so proud to help, and thank you for donating to this critical effort if you’re able.

Curbside Pick-Up and Delivery

We continue to receive requests for curbside pick-up and delivery of groceries – especially from at-risk or self-isolated individuals. We’re discussing how we might successfully implement these programs. Currently, much of our staff time goes to keeping our shelves as stocked as possible. If we pivot to provide this service, will other services falter as a result? We will continue our discussions on these two topics.

In the meantime, we’d like to promote efforts led by other organizations to meet emerging needs. The Keene Young Professional Network (Keene YPN) launched a new delivery service for at-risk individuals. If you need or know of people who need supplies due to self-isolation or medical quarantine, please check out the Keene YPN COVID-19 Response Team Program. If you have any further questions, please contact Keene YPN’s special helpline at [email protected].

Quieter Hours

For those looking to shop at less busy times at our co-op (but don’t fall into an at-risk group), we currently recommend shopping in the evening. You can also check Google’s Popular Times graph (see the right side of the page and scroll down a bit). It aggregates anonymous data and shows live updates on how busy the store is.

Pre-Order System Paused

Since some of our distributors placed temporary ordering limits on their products, we needed to pause our pre-order system. Manufacturers are working to replenish their product inventories as quickly as possible. We will keep you posted on the status of our pre-order system.

Reusable Bag Update

By executive order issued by Governor Sununu, grocery stores and food retailers are no longer able to use reusable bags when bagging groceries and other items for customers. Paper bags and cardboard boxes are still available at our co-op to pack groceries. Please do not bring your paper bags or cardboard boxes from home.

Know that we are working hard to keep our staff and the greater community safe and our shelves stocked while responding to quickly emerging needs. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding. We thank our staff and the many other workers and volunteers stepping up to ensure that everyone stays as safe and whole as possible.

Again, please reach out to me with your questions and suggestions at 603-283-5400 or [email protected].

Cooperatively yours,
Michael Faber
Monadnock Food Co-op