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Date: 6/13/2023
NORTHAMPTON — Two major entities in the Northampton community are partnering for a second year in a row to battle food insecurity.
Cedar Chest, the anchor store in Thornes Marketplace on Main Street in downtown Northampton, will partner with food justice organization, Grow Food Northampton for a promotion that benefits the local economy and humanitarian efforts.
Beginning on June 12, and lasting through a few weeks in June, Cedar Chest customers are invited to participate in the “Give $10, Get $10 promotion,” which allows them to donate $10 to Grow Food’s SNAP Match program, and in return, receive a $10 gift card to Cedar Chest.
According to the Grow Food website, the SNAP Match program allows community members struggling with food insecurity to more than double their purchase of nutritious local produce and other farm products at the weekly Tuesday Market farmers market behind Thornes Marketplace, and in the winter, at the Winter Market at the Northampton Senior Center.
“We are committed to ensuring that every member of our community, no matter their income level, has access to healthy, locally grown produce,” said Alisa Klein, Grow Food’s executive director. “We’re so grateful to Cedar Chest. Every dollar our SNAP Match program shares with community members who are food-insecure comes from generous business sponsorships and collaborations like this with Cedar Chest.”
In an interview with Reminder Publishing, Cedar Chest Marketing Manager Katie McLaughlin said that the Tuesday Market has become a “downtown hub” behind Thornes where the foot traffic increases exponentially.
“We’ve worked with organizations in the past, but this market strikes a chord with everyone here in terms of our local community,” McLaughlin said. “Being able to participate in this during a time where the market is needed is pretty special.”
Alex Feinstein, the co-owner of Cedar Chest, agreed that this promotion is a great way to collaborate locally and support the work of Grow Food Northampton.
“Together, we can nourish our community while enjoying everything Cedar Chest has to offer,” Feinstein said.
McLaughlin said that last year’s promotion was very successful and held a close place inside the community’s heart. She emphasized how integral this promotion is to assisting the local economy.
“The Tuesday Market is a weekly, vibrant, community event that allows people to purchase incredibly fresh, local foods directly from the growers,” said Helen Kahn, Grow Food’s Farmers Market manager. “Our SNAP Match program not only makes these foods more accessible to a larger number of our neighbors, it also keeps money in our local economy. We rely on the generosity of businesses like Cedar Chest for the continued success of this ever-expanding program.”