Seventh Cooperative Principle:
Concern for Community
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development for their communities through policies accepted by their members.
In addition to our Carts for Corvallis and Beans for Bags programs, the Co-op makes dozens of small donations to a variety of non-profits in and around Corvallis. In 2008 we donated a total of $4604 to organizations such as the OSU Botany Department, Corvallis Flower Basket Program, Oregon Equestrian Trails, The Hours, and many local schools. These donations are most typically in the form of a $30.00 gift card, which can be used for the purchase of merchandise at First Alternative.
Donation applications can be picked up at either the North or South Store customer service desks, or click on the link above. Please allow 2 weeks for processing of your application.
School Donations: Scrip and Round-up
First Alternative sponsors two on-going fund-raising programs for local schools. The first is “rounding up” so shoppers can donate small amounts each time they come through our registers. Customers simply round what they pay up to the next highest dollar amount. The difference between their actual bill and what they pay then goes straight to the school of their choice. For example, if a bill is $9.46 and the customer rounds their payment up to $10, then the 54¢ difference will be donated. This method of encouraging donations is not a burden to those giving the money because the amounts are so small, and those bits of change add up faster than you may think. Between our two stores, First Alternative has about 1600 customers per day, so the potential is enormous.
The second program is a way that 1% of a purchase at the register can be donated to your school. When you check out at the Co-op and the cashier asks if you have a Co-op card, you simply tell them the the primary school number. If you do not know the number, you can ask a cashier who has the numbers at the register. We track those purchases and donate 1% of the purchase to your school. Even if you are an owner, you may use the school’s number in place of your owner number. On Owner Appreciation Days, you will need to present your owner number to receive your discount, but you can use the primary school number for the transaction, so that the school receives 1% of the purchase. In this way, the purchase will not be tracked to your owner number or be considered for patronage dividends, but the school will benefit even in years when owners do not get a patronage dividend.
The key to the success of the program is making our customers aware of the program and in the habit of participating each time they pass through our registers. It is our hope that you will use whatever means are available to you to pass the word on.
Checks will be sent to your school on a quarterly basis, as long as you have at least $10.00 in the two combined programs. Any questions about these programs can be addressed to Donna Kaiser at donnax@firstalt.coop
Thank you for helping us support our schools!
