WALPOLE, N.H. — Shoppers at the Monadnock Food Co-op collectively donated $5,698.62 to the Monadnock Localvores Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Scholarship Program. The Monadnock Food Co-op collected these donations during their month-long “Round It Up” donation drive in May. Customers rounded up their purchases to donate their change to the Monadnock Localvores.
“After a year of isolation, fear, and confinement, children need to reconnect with the broader world beyond their doors. What better way to give them fresh air, fresh skills, and fresh ideas than the thrill of discovery with a farm camp experience? Returning to “normal” is just not good enough” said Dottie Smith of the Monadnock Localvores. “We want children to thrive!”
Funds raised through May’s Round It Up will go exclusively to providing scholarships for the youth who live in housing owned or managed by Keene Housing, through a partnership with the Keene Housing Kids Collaborative.
The Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Scholarship, initiated in 2009 by the Monadnock Localvores, endeavors to connect young people with agriculture and the natural world around them by supplementing the cost of sending children to local farm camps so that they might discover the inherent rewards that come from cultivating with one’s hands and heart.
The Co-op’s Round It Up donation program empowers shoppers to make a positive change in their community by rounding up their change for local agencies like The Community Kitchen. During the Co-op’s last fiscal year, the Round It Up program raised over $47,895 and supported seven nonprofits.
For more information on the Monadnock Localvores their annual Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Camp Scholarship, visit the Cheshire County Conservation District website: www.cheshireconservation.org/
About the CCCD:
The Cheshire County Conservation District promotes the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources for the people of Cheshire County by providing technical, financial, and educational assistance. Our goal is to encourage the stewardship of healthy soils, productive ecologically sound farms, diverse wildlife, productive sustainable forests, healthy watersheds, and clean water to ensure those resources are available for future generations. Established in 1945, the Conservation District operates out of Walpole, NH where we work alongside the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and other conservation partners. For more information, contact Amanda Littleton at amanda@cheshireconservation.
About the Monadnock Food Co-op
The Monadnock Food Co-op is a community-owned food store offering a diverse selection of local, organic, and natural foods to the Monadnock Region. The Co-op is located at 34 Cypress Street in Keene, right off of Main Street via Eagle Court: monadnockfood.coop
–Monadnock Food Co-op
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