ECRS is highlighting the efforts of Littleton Food Co-op (Littleton, New Hampshire) and Orcas Food Co-op (Orcas Island, Washington) in driving charitable initiatives and supporting their communities.
During a recent webinar, the co-ops shared ways to use tools within CATAPULT and the CATAPULT Loyalty Suite to simplify and encourage charitable giving at the point of sale.
Orcas Food Co-op
Orcas Food Co-op champions food access and community support through several programs:
- FLOWER (Fresh Local Organic Within Everyone’s Reach): This initiative provides 10 percent discounts on eligible items for member-owners enrolled in food insecurity assistance programs.
- Fresh Bucks: Modeled after a national program, it matches portions of local produce purchases, supporting shoppers and local farmers.
- Community Hero Program: A rotating round-up initiative at checkout, powered by CATAPULT, that allows shoppers to support local causes.
In addition, Orcas Food Co-op leverages the CATAPULT Loyalty Suite to fight food insecurity by enabling donations through loyalty points. In November alone, more than $7,000 worth of points were distributed for custom food item groups.
Littleton Food Co-op
Littleton Food Co-op shared its own suite of community-driven initiatives, including:
- Partner-of-the-Month Program: Using CATAPULT’s round-up functionality, members nominate and vote for local charities to receive monthly support. What began as a $200-per-month effort has grown into year-to-date fundraising of more than $66,000 in 2025, with monthly totals ranging from $4,300 to $9,000.
- Housing Initiatives: The co-op sponsors an endowment fund that supports low-income housing projects while reinvesting interest into charitable efforts.
Innovation in action
Both organizations exemplify the cooperative model’s mission of putting people first. By leveraging CATAPULT’s advanced automation and loyalty tools, they have created sustainable, community-focused programs that make giving simple and effective.
About National Co-op Grocers
ECRS is honored to partner with co-ops across North America and with the National Co-op Grocers organization, which features more than 165 co-ops with some 240 stores.
NCG members are primarily consumer cooperatives, owned by those who shop at the stores. Consumer members exercise ownership rights by investing in co-op shares, patronizing the store and electing board members to guide directional objectives.
[RELATED: Buehler’s Fresh Foods Achieves Increased Basket Lift With ECRS LoyaltyBot]