It’s working. The Co-op Pennies for Change program has rallied for months, thanks to many loyal customers. The program asks customers if they want to round up the total price of their groceries to the nearest dollar when they check out. If the total bill is $100.47, for example, the customer can agree to pay $101.00. The proceeds (in this case, 53 cents) are then distributed to charitable organizations in the Upper Valley.
Before, with the plastic coin-box system at the register, the donation was estimated at $100 each month.

When customers donate their change to community partners by rounding up their order to the next dollar, it adds up—from what was $100 a month to over $15,000 in June, and that number keeps rising! Pennies for Change works.

Of the funds collected each month, 60 percent goes to food access partners: LISTEN Community Services, Upper Valley Haven, and Willing Hands. The remaining 40 percent is divided between two other community partners. These change on a monthly basis. Community partners are assigned as a 30 percent or 10 percent partner based on annual revenue, number of employees, and the ratio of funds used for administrative purposes. Partners for 2016 have received $73,666.46 in donations so far!

For example, in June, $15,167.20 was raised and 20% or $3,033.44 went to LISTEN Community Services. Upper Valley Haven at 20% received $3,033.44. Willing Hands (20%) received $3,033.44. Child and Family Services of NH (30%) got $4,550.16, and the League of NH Craftsmen (10%) received $1516.72.

In July the donations increased to $16,821.77, in August to $17,771.14, and in September to $23,906.35. Pennies do make a difference when you round them up for Upper Valley charitable organizations.

As of September, food access partners LISTEN Community Services, Upper Valley Haven, and Willing Hands had received $14,733.29, with more pennies to add through the end of the year.

Community charitable organizations received the following amounts:

To apply for the program, charitable organizations may go to:

Round up for good. Pennies make change.