The Brattleboro Food Co-op: An Outstanding Community Partnership

When Food Connects reflects on some of our partnerships throughout the community, one business stands out as one of our top supporters—the Brattleboro Food Co-op (BFC).

A monolith in Brattleboro, BFC has served the community since 1975 by providing high-quality locally sourced, organic, and nutritious foods. Food Connects is fortunate to have BFC as one of our top wholesale customers—purchasing our source-identified New England foods to share with the greater community. And with over 8,000 active members, that means more local food is getting into homes across the county.

Not only is the Co-op a major partner to our Food Hub, but they are also a huge supporter of our Farm to School (FTS) program. Last August, they chose our FTS program as one of their Round Up For Change recipients. Because of the generosity of the Brattleboro Food Co-op and its patrons, Food Connects raised over $7,000! These funds went directly to our programming for the 2021-2022 school year, including coaching for Brattleboro schools and professional development for teachers and garden coordinators.

However, the Brattleboro Food Co-op’s generosity doesn’t end with Food Connects. Between December 2020 and December 2021, the Co-op raised over $84,500 through their Round Up program that they distributed to 13 different non-profits. This year, each month is shared between two different organizations to share the wealth among different causes and organizations. This month’s recipients are Brattleboro Time Trade and our partners at Edible Brattleboro. So, next time you are shopping at the Brattleboro Food Co-op, ask to Round Up your change at the register!

Everyone Eats! Returns for the New Year

[BRATTLEBORO, VT, January 13, 2021-] Thanks to a combination of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Vermont the short hiatus for Everyone Eats! Brattleboro (EE!B) is over.  EE!B is resuming operations on January 18th.

For Brattleboro area eaters, the program is going to feel very similar. Starting on January 18th, meal distributions will continue to be at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro from 4 - 6 pm Monday through Thursday and be open to everyone negatively affected by the pandemic. There is no registration or any paperwork required to participate; just come by car or on foot to the distribution site to receive meals for your family, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options. Partner organizations will also continue to reserve meals that they deliver directly to their clients. 

Restaurants and EE!B are working together to increase the variety and consistency of meals served. We will be welcoming new restaurants, such as Whetstone Brewery, Four Columns, and the Putney Food Coop. Additionally, the program has expanded, and residents of Marlboro and the West River Valley are now also eligible to participate in the program—that’s in addition to the five towns already participating in the EE!B hub: Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, and Vernon.  

Everyone Eats purchases to-go meals from local restaurants to feed our community. The program supports the local economy while supporting those in need who have been negatively impacted by COVID by food insecurity or those looking for the nourishment of prepared meals because of this crisis we are living through. 

The first phase of the program—August to December 2020—brought a much-needed injection of relief funding to the local economy and greatly increased our region’s ability to support our community. Over the course of 22 weeks, 80,387 meals were distributed to community members, Everyone Eats accounted for an average of 37% of participating restaurants’ sales, and $41,818.54 worth of Vermont products and produce were purchased as ingredients for meals. 

“As we continue to live with this health pandemic and economic crisis, we know the need is great,” says Stephanie Bonin, EE!B Program Director. “We’re grateful to be able to resume operations so quickly and continue to support our restaurants, farmers, and community.”

During the course of the COVID health pandemic, 1 in 3 people in Vermont have experienced hunger. While Everyone Eats does not solve food insecurity and the economic crisis it has become an important part of the relief offered. For more information about EE!B, to donate or to volunteer, visit its website (https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats) or try it out for yourself by visiting 80 Flat St from 4-6 pm, Monday through Thursday. 

Everyone Eats! Brattleboro (EE!B)

EE!B is a project of Vermont Everyone Eats (VEE), a statewide program funded by Federal and State funds made possible through a grant provided by Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA). The Brattleboro coalition consists of representatives from the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, Vermont Foodbank, Foodworks, Food Connects, The Putney Foodshelf, Putney Mutual Aid, and the Agency of Human Services for the state of Vermont.

Contact: Stephanie Bonin, Executive Director, Downtown Brattleboro Alliance stephanie@brattleboro.com

What's Cooking in Massachusetts?

This June, our Farm to School team had the pleasure of working alongside Rachel Harb, of Massachusetts Farm to School, at the Northeast Farm to School Institue in Northern Vermont. Mass Farm to School, a statewide network comprised of educators, food service professionals, farmers, fisherman, and other advocates, seeks to "strengthen local farms and fisheries and promote healthy communities by increasing local food purchasing and education at schools." Like Food Connects, Massachusetts Farm to School staff offer training, technical assistance, and consulting to Farm to School champions around the state, in an effort to support local food initiatives in classrooms, cafeterias, and communities.

Know someone who lives just over the border? Encourage them to reach out and get involved in the Massachusetts Farm to School movement to support the continued growth of a resilient Northeast economy and landscape.