After an historic winter snowstorm left thousands of people in Nevada County, Calif., without electricity for over a week, BriarPatch Food Co-op stepped up to offer a helping hand.  

Staff from the co-op visited a nearby mobile home park for seniors, which had been without heat or power since the storm, to drop off a gift card to help cover the costs of hot meals being served at the park. Volunteers provided hot meals in the park’s community center and delivered bagged lunches door to door to the trailers, where the temperatures were nearly freezing inside. BriarPatch donated an additional $250 to members of the local Jewish community, who were also organizing meal deliveries to residents snowed in without power.  

As an extra incentive to bolster community assistance, BriarPatch added a perk to its existing volunteer program called PatchWorks. Volunteers with local food banks and an organization that provides services to elderly and those with disabilities can earn extra discounts at the co-op. Started in 2020, PatchWorks networks with local nonprofit groups to provide community volunteers. To date, volunteers have donated more than 8,000 hours of service to the community in exchange for a 15% shopping discount at the co-op each month. 

“It’s humbling to see how community members respond in times of need,” said BriarPatch Food Co-op Community Engagement Coordinator Courtney Tarrant. “We are so grateful for their actions of kindness, checking-in on neighbors and providing hot, nutritious meals for those without access to food or a stove to cook. We are lucky to have so many wonderful organizations and volunteers that provide essential support in our community.”