Co-op Community Fund
During the celebration of Co-op Month this October, Wheatsville has a great way to support co-op development and charities and groups working here in Austin at the same time, simply round up at the registers for the Co-op Community Fund!
The Co-op Community Fund is an investment fund sponsored by the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation. The Co-op Community Fund serves as a means for co-op shoppers to make donations to an endowment that donates to local organizations. The endowment fund principal is used to make loans available to cooperatives that are founding, expanding or renovating. As the loans are paid back, the interest is made available to Wheatsville to donate to local groups working on issues relating to sustainable agriculture and organic food, hunger and social issues, environmental protection and cooperatives.
Wheatsville has used the interest from the Co-op Community Fund to donate in a number of ways. Since 2010, Wheatsville has used the funds to match staff members charitable donations. Additionally, Wheatsville has donated from the fund to groups Black-led groups in Austin in observation of Juneteenth with $3000 in 2020 and $5000 in 2021. Because Wheatsville shoppers have been so generous to the Co-op Community Fund, there were enough funds for Wheatsville to make a one time-donation to ACBA (Austin Cooperative Business Alliance) of $5000.
As cooperators, we look for ways to work in solidarity with each other and multiply the effects of the good work we do. Rounding up at Wheatsville this October benefits coops on a national scale and groups doing good work right here in our community.