Smart Chicken® Holiday Giving Challenge

The holiday season is upon us. Amidst the shopping frenzies, family gatherings, and parties it can be hard to remember this is also a season of giving. Luckily, you have us and we are making it easy for you to give back.

During the month of November, Co-op shoppers can nourish their own families and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley.

Over the years, Smart Chicken® and Ashland Food Co-op have teamed up to donate thousands of pounds of chicken to ACCESS, Inc. Smart Chicken® will once again donate Smart Chicken® products based on the total volume shoppers purchase at Ashland Food Co-op to ACCESS, Inc.

Here’s how it works. For every 10 pounds of Smart Chicken® you purchase from the Meat Department or the Deli, the company will donate one pound of chicken to ACCESS, Inc. ACCESS then distributes the chicken through their food share program, providing emergency food boxes to hungry families and individuals in Jackson County through a network of over 24 food pantries. The program also supplies food to over 20 agency programs serving low-income individuals.

Last year ACCESS received over 2,000 pounds of chicken!  That kind of past support of the Smart Giving Program has made the Co-op the top ranking West Coast single store in sales during the promotion. Let’s do that again this year!

Smart Chicken® has a wide range of fresh chicken products. The company was the first in the U.S. to use air-chill technology, and offers products that are both Certified Organic and Certified Humane.

Not a fan of chicken? No problem. There are many to gives through the Ashland Food Co-op. Every time you check out at the register, you have the opportunity to donate any dollar amount to ACCESS, the American Red Cross, Ashland Food Bank, or Ashland Schools Foundation. It’s as simple as telling the cashier the amount and which organization you’d like to donate to.

Happy giving!

More Co-op News

September Change for Good: AFC Community Fund

As we enter the beautiful month of September here in Southern Oregon, we're excited to share that our Change for Good partner this month is our very own Community Fund. As many of you know, the Community Fund allows us to support amazing local projects and organizations doing great work right here in Southern Oregon.

August Change for Good - Partnering with ACCESS to Make a Difference!

We are honored to partner with ACCESS this August - a fantastic organization that has been serving our community for over four decades. ACCESS, which stands for "A Community in Action, Connecting, Empowering, and Strengthening Self-Sufficiency," is dedicated to addressing hunger, homelessness, and poverty in Southern Oregon.

Empowering Our Community: AFC's Community Grants Now Accepting Applications

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the local community, AFC is thrilled to announce the that we are accepting applications for our Community Grants program

Ashland Food Co-op's Community Grants program is designed to foster meaningful change in the Southern Oregon region. Through these grants, we seek to support projects that align with our mission of promoting local and sustainable food systems, addressing food insecurity, and promoting community engagement.

July's Change for Good Partner - Maslow Project

Ashland Food Co-op is thrilled to partner with Maslow Project for our Change for Good program! Maslow Project is an incredible organization that works tirelessly to support homeless youth and families in Southern Oregon. Their mission is to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, and they do this through a range of services including housing assistance, medical care, and educational support.

Bicycle Benefits

Here at the Co-op we are on a mission to promote healthy lifestyles and sustainable practices within our community.

May 2023 Change for Good Partner: Talent Maker City

Talent Maker City's mission is to build a more connected, prosperous, and resilient community through hands-on creativity and innovative STEAM-based learning. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math.) They have a bustling Makerspace facility, brimming with creative energy in downtown Talent offering hands-on STEAM-based workshops and programming for curious minds of all ages!

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

We're always learning and growing here at the Co-op and with the approach of Cinco de Mayo we thought we would share a (very) brief history lesson and some thoughts on celebrating this holiday here in the United States.

February's Change for Good partner: OHRA

 

OHRA logo

OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:

December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center

December's Change for Good Partner is

Rogue Action Center

Rogue Action Center

The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.