Lakewood, Colorado-based Natural Grocers is celebrating its fifth annual Crew Appreciation Month throughout February.
Natural Grocers good4u Crew will be treated to a celebration with gifts, giveaways and discounts as an expression of gratitude towards its employees.
Margaret Isely, Natural Grocers’ co-founder, demonstrated the importance of recognizing crew members’ individual personalities, aptitudes and impact. She believed in expressing gratitude through action. Sixty-eight years later, this “attitude of gratitude” has evolved into a month-long celebration for every employee, in-stores and behind the scenes.
“There are countless stories of my grandmother, Margaret, showing her gratitude on a daily basis to everyone around her. She made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. Her gratitude and enthusiasm were infectious and energized whomever she interacted with,” said Raquel Isely, VP of marketing for Natural Grocers.
“To this day, one of our Five Founding Principles is a ‘commitment to crew.’ With 166 stores in 21 states, and over 4,000 employees, it’s hard to tell each and every crew member how important they are to us. Instead, we decided to make it a store-wide annual celebration that lasts an entire month. We think Margaret would approve.”
For the second year in a row, the crew appreciation gifts are the result of a collaboration with artisans in Peguche, Ecuador, including a group of single mothers. In Ecuador, six out of 10 women suffer gender violence, a tragic statistic that the artisans of the Peguche village aim to change. Providing a safe working environment with the opportunity to care for their children, this group empowers the women of the village with better opportunities to gain financial independence.
Each Natural Grocers crew member will receive a handmade hat and scarf made of alpaca wool by the artisans of Peguche.
During the month-long celebration, the festivities will also include giveaways with a list of prizes, such as a Patagonia backpack from Patagonia Provisions, a Coleman cooler containing products from Primal Kitchen, a Woodstock Hammock, a one-year supply of pizza and swag from Caulipower and gift cards. Every crew member will be entered to win with the winners announced at the end of the month. Crew members will also receive a special {N}power coupon book with autoloaded discounts and free Natural Grocers Brand products.
Another highlight of the 2023 Crew Appreciation Month will be a donation of 1 percent of sales on Feb. 14 to the Natural Grocers Heroes in Aprons Fund. Established in 2020, this nonprofit provides short-term financial assistance to good4u crew members or their immediate family members who have encountered severe economic hardship due to sickness, natural disasters or other unforeseen circumstances.
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