Community Donations through Beans for Bags

One of the Co-op’s guiding principles is the sustainable development of our community. An important way the Co-op does this is through community donations, many of which come from our Beans for Bags program.

For each disposable bag a customer doesn’t use, they can take one bean and deposit it in the bean tower under the name of a community organization. Beans serve as counters which determine the percentage of community donation money disbursed to each group.

Reusing Bags

Beans for Bags incentivizes shoppers for remembering to bring their own reusable bags or reusing cardboard boxes provided by the Co-op instead of relying on disposable bags. The program helps reduce wasted resources.
Beans for Bags saves approximately 120,000 disposable bags from being used each year.

Community Donations

First Alternative’s Beans for Bags program supports sixteen different community organizations with monetary donations of approximately $4,000 each year. Click here to learn about the 2020 Beans For Bags donation recipients and the great work they are doing in our community.

Nominating & Voting

Do you know a community organization that could benefit from this program? Click here for the application to become a donation recipient. Deadline for application is September 1st. Voting takes place during October.

Email our Outreach Specialist with questions.