City Market Donates Almost $60,000 to Local Food Projects

Burlington, VT – City Market congratulated their 2014 Co-op Patronage Seedling Grant recipients and offered almost $60,000 in grant funding to local food projects at a recent Grant Celebration that also launched the 2015 Co-op Patronage Seedling Grant process.

City Market sent over $968,000 in Patronage Refunds to more than 10,000 Members in November 2014. As part of the Patronage Refund process, the Co-op offers Members the opportunity to donate their checks to strengthen Vermont’s food system. Members who receive Patronage Refunds support these donations by choosing not to cash their checks within the required 90 day time period. This year, uncashed Patronage Refund checks from Members are funding 5 local food projects from community organizations doing amazing work in Vermont.

The Co-op set a minimum of $20,000 in total grants when the projects were chosen in September 2014, but the uncashed Patronage Check total was almost three times that amount, so these organizations received a much larger infusion of cash to strengthen the local food system. The 2014 grant recipients’ projects touch almost every part of the local food system – from youth, to seniors, to the food itself and food transport, as well as plant and soil sciences:

• Pine Island Farm: Chicken Collaborative, Initial Grant Award: $3,893 (actual check: $11,172.72)

• Living Well Group: Farm to Care Program, Initial Grant Award: $4,500 (actual check: $12,907.24)

• University of Vermont: Establishing a Swede Midge Damage Threshold for Brassica Crops, Initial Grant Award: $5,000 (actual check: $14,342.70)

• The Schoolhouse Learning Center: Taking Root: The Farm, Food, Forest (FFF) Program, Initial Grant Award: $2,455 (actual check: $7,045.75)

• Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf: Food Shelf Mobile Pantry & Transport Trailer, Initial Grant Award: $5,000 (actual check: $14,342.71)

At a Grant Celebration held earlier this week, Pat Burns, City Market’s General Manager, said, “We are truly inspired by the generosity of our Members. When reviewing applications for this new grant program, our Member committee was amazed at the diversity of thoughtful work that’s being done in Vermont. This year’s almost $60,000 in grants will clearly forge some new ground in projects that will be meaningful across the state.”

City Market is now accepting applications for the 2015 Co-op Patronage Seedling Grants from Vermont non-profit organizations whose project work strengthens the local food system. The minimum total grant award for 2015 will be $40,000 with individual grant awards ranging from $500 to $7,500. The application and process can be found on City Market’s Co-op Patronage Seedling Grant page, and applications will be accepted until Monday, June 29 at 5pm.

About City Market, Onion River Co-op

The Onion River Co-op is a consumer cooperative, with over 10,800 Members, selling wholesome food and other products while building a vibrant, empowered community and a healthier world, all in a sustainable manner. Located in downtown Burlington, Vermont, City Market provides a large selection of local, organic and conventional foods and thousands of Vermont-made products. Visit City Market, Onion River Co-op online at www.CityMarket.coop or call 802-861-9700.

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