Littleton Food Co-op Partners to Make Healthy Food Accessible For All

LITTLETON NH—The Littleton Food Co-op announced their Healthy Food Access (HFA) program as partner of the month for January. The Cooperative Fund of New England, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association and HungerFreeVT are partnering with New England food co-ops to help make wholesome, nutritious food more accessible. Healthy Food Access strives to increase access to healthy food for those with limited means; support collaboration among food co-ops to engage and serve individuals and families with limited food budgets; and demonstrate the capacity of food co-ops to increase access to healthy food and co-op membership for everyone.

Because co-ops are community owned they are able to focus on meeting community needs before making profits. Though food co-ops are recognized leaders in offering healthy foods and contributing to the local economy by marketing locally grown and produced goods, some co-ops face challenges in serving and engaging community members with limited food budgets. To help address this challenge, member-owned Littleton Food Co-op is participating in the collaboration to increase healthy food access.

In New Hampshire:

• 1 in 10 households, or about 140,000 individuals struggle to put food on the table.

• About 31,500 (11.6%) kids under 18 in NH live in poverty and over 40,000 (14.7%) kids live in food insecure homes.

• 1 in 4 cities and towns in NH are at high risk for food insecurity.

Co-op membership is required to participate in the Healthy Food Access program which provides a 10% discount on most purchases. The co-op recognizes that purchasing a membership share could be a financial challenge. By featuring Healthy Food Access during January, co-op shoppers may contribute to a share scholarship fund. Members who are currently recipients of food stamps, supplemental security income, or other supplemental assistance may apply.

Co-op shoppers are invited to support this fund by rounding up their purchases at the cash registers and by purchasing pizzas on Friday night. One dollar from each pizza purchased is donated to the fund.

Member-owned Littleton Food Co-op is located at the intersection of Cottage Street and Route 302 (exit 41 off I-93), the Littleton Food Co-op is open daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.