Late last year, the owners of Willy Street Co-op, in Madison, Wis., helped raise more than $13,000 for the co-op’s nutrition incentive program, Double Dollars. Throughout November and December, the co-op pledged to match up to $15,000 of owner contributions to the Double Dollars Fund.

The Double Dollars Fund uses abandoned owner equity to support the co-op’s Pantries of Plenty neighborhood pantry partners around the area: Goodman Community Center Fritz Food Pantry, Lussier Community Education Center, Middleton Outreach Ministry, The River Food Pantry and Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center.

“Our owners met our match for $13,138 with cash donations and savings due to their reuse of bags,” Kristina Kuhaupt, Willy Street’s customer experience manager, said. “Thanks to our owners, each food pantry will receive funds to use on fresh items that are harder to come by in the winter season. This means that a total of $26,276 has been put into our local giving economy to help support those who are food insecure and looking to prioritize nutrition during these long winter months.” 

Double Dollars is a nutrition incentive program established to help those using FoodShare/QUEST to purchase fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables, legumes and seeds/seedlings for growing edible plants. The Double Dollars season runs from October to May at Willy Street and from June to November at participating farmers markets. The Double Dollars match is made possible through abandoned and donated owner equity. Owners can donate at store level through scan cards, and the co-op donates 10 cents for every reusable bag used. Between cash donations and bag reuse refunds, the fund has raised over $378,600 since April 2017.