Our 2019 SEED grant recipients, including those chosen by the Community Choice public vote, were announced at the Annual Owner Meeting on Oct. 30.

We’re proud that selection for our 12 yearly SEED recipients is led entirely by co-op staff, with a majority of cashiers serving on the committee. This year, the staff committee selected eight of the 12 recipients for 2019, leaving one Community Choice recipient per quarter.

The eight SEED recipients selected this summer are:

Appetite For Change
Cultural Wellness Center
Dream of Wild Health
Isuroon
Sabathani Community Center
Soup for You Café
Southside Services, Inc.
Village Financial Cooperative

Community Choice
Seward Co-op owners and customers were invited to select four SEED recipients from a list of 10 finalists reviewed by the staff-led grant committee.

The four organizations with the highest vote totals are part of Seward Co-op’s 2019 SEED recipient calendar. All 10 organizations on this list will receive a small grant through the Seward Community Fund, whether or not they are ultimately selected as a SEED recipient. Nearly 2,000 community members and co-op owners participated during the voting period between September 19-Oct 10.

The 2019 Community Choice SEED Recipients are:

Mental Health Resources
Open Arms of Minnesota
Sexual Violence Center
Green Garden Bakery

Seward Co-op owners have so much to be proud of—with an average donation of only 40 cents per transaction, we are able to raise over $20,000 every single month through the SEED round-up program. It’s a great example of the power of cooperation, and the program is a national model within the co-op movement.

Thank you to everyone who voted—and to everyone who donates when they shop!