by Kirsten Moore, Cooperative Services Director
Winter arrived early this year, and this holiday season there’s lots of reasons to think about our loved ones, and those who need love around us. Whether it’s through monetary support of organizations who provide for the community, through reusing bags to support Double Dollars, donating a can of food to the donation shelves, or a gift for a child with inadequate housing, deciding who and what organizations to support at the year’s end, or simply offering a smile or hello or an ear to a person who looks like they could use the positive interaction, all of us at the Co-op have ways to bring each other warmth and kindness in the toughest, coldest months of the year.
Pantries of Plenty: Win-Win for Double Dollars and Neighborhood Food Pantries
It’s our holiday tradition to match Double Dollars contributions up to $10,000 to support our five neighborhood food pantries. Through December 31 contributions are matched 1:1. You can support Double Dollars either by a $1, $5, $10, or $25 scan card donation at the registers, or by reusing bags so we can save money we would spend on paper bags to support Double Dollars instead. The match supports Goodman Community Center Fritz Food Pantry, Lussier Community Education Center, Middleton Outreach Ministry, The River Food Pantry, and Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center with Co-op gift cards for fresh items in the winter season. Your Double Dollars support is a win-win for those using Double Dollars and those reliant on our food pantries.
Double Dollars is a nutrition incentive program to help those using FoodShare/QUEST purchase fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and legumes; and seeds and seedlings for growing edible plants. Double Dollars are available from October to May at the Co-op, and from June to November at participating farmers’ markets. The Double Dollars Fund has been providing vital program support since April 2017.
The Pantries of Plenty Double Dollars match is made possible through abandoned Owner equity. When Owners leave the Co-op, they are given the option to have their equity refunded or to donate it for charitable purposes such as this match and the Community Reinvestment Fund.
You support local food pantries whenever you support Double Dollars. When people can purchase groceries instead of relying on pantries, pantries can then focus on those who need their resources most. Please consider contributing to the Double Dollars Fund whenever you shop the Co-op by scanning donation cards or bringing in bags to reuse. It makes a difference, and right now the difference is double!
For more information about Double Dollars, please visit www.willystreet.coop/double-dollars.
Santas Without Chimneys Enters Year Six at the Co-op
Through December 20, Santas Without Chimneys will collect gifts at all three Co-op retail locations for children and youth who experience homelessness or are highly mobile. The non-faith-based donation drive is independent, and volunteer operated with Madison Metropolitan School District’s Transitional Education program support.
Santas Without Chimneys provides “presents to families currently living doubled-up or in campsites, cars, on the streets or in other inadequate accommodation.” Families who do not attend MMSD may also be eligible if they are awaiting foster care placement; doubled-up due to economic hardship or a similar reason; living in a car, park, campground, abandoned building, or other inadequate accommodation; temporarily living in a motel or hotel due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reasons; or unaccompanied youth living alone as a minor student(s) not in the physical care of a parent or guardian. If one of these situations describes your family, or if you know a family who may be eligible, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or private message the Santas Without Chimneys Facebook page to confirm eligibility.
Generally, Santas Without Chimneys seeks cozy blankets (no bed comforters); kids’ gloves, mittens, hats, and scarves; new hair accessories for all hair types, pre-teen/teen makeup supplies for all skin colors, and nail polish; new or like-new books; new art supplies; and gift cards to downtown restaurants or grocery stores (for teens who live on their own).
If you are interested in volunteering, setting up a drop box at your business, sponsoring a child, or giving cash to Santas Without Chimneys, please visit santaswithoutchimneys.org for more information.
Panhandling Around the Co-op
The Co-op has noticed an increase of people panhandling (stopping people to ask for food or money) near Willy East and Willy North. It’s troubling, as increases in panhandling can indicate that there are more people who have needs in our community than are able to be met by resources available. It can also be troubling for the passerby: to give or not to give, to be asked by the same people every time they walk through the area, or to feel harassed or unsafe due to the uneasiness of the interaction. The east and north sides are no exception; other parts of the Madison area have also seen a rise in panhandling.
We recently sought some guidance from the Madison Police Department, and we continue to seek guidance from local nonprofits engaged in supporting those in situations that may lead to deciding to panhandle. Our goals are to make everyone feel welcome and safe at the Co-op, free from discrimination and harassment, and to also have some clear guidelines for activities on our properties.
Panhandling is not allowed on our properties and in our landlord’s lots. This has been our policy for decades. When we are able to address people engaged in panhandling in person, we will ask them to leave the property. We only engage law enforcement if the person panhandling refuses to leave or if they take other actions deemed unsafe to others or themselves. On public property and in the public right of way (which at Willy East includes the area near the MGE transformer and the bike parking near the Williamson Street driveway), people are allowed to ask anyone they want for food or money. Under the law, people who panhandle in public areas are protected by freedom of speech: asking for food or money is not seen as disorderly conduct. When the Co-op receives complaints about people panhandling in public spaces, we do not take action based on panhandling activity alone. We will call the police if we learn in a timely fashion of safety concerns, such as people completely blocking the sidewalk or driveways, interfering with traffic, causing a public disturbance such as yelling at people on our property, or engaging in violent behavior. If you notice unsafe or dangerous activity on public or private property near the store, you may visit the Customer Service desk and ask for the support of a Manager on Duty. 911 is also an option if you notice unsafe or dangerous activity.
Grocery stores are popular for panhandling because the soliciting tends to yield high returns. While it is completely within your rights to decide to give directly to someone in need, the City of Madison discourages giving to people who panhandle, and encourages redirecting support to nonprofits and social services who provide assistance to people who need resources. There are a number of ways to find services to support at the Co-op: putting nonperishable goods on our food pantry donation shelves, contributing to the Double Dollars Fund or Community CHIP™ at the registers (Community CHIP™ supports about 70 local nonprofits who are members of Community Shares of Wisconsin), buying products made by nonprofits such as Porchlight, purchasing the Street Pulse newspaper from a certified vendor outside the stores, participating in various donation drives throughout the year such as Santas Without Chimneys, or reviewing the informational materials we have in our Owner Resources Areas and at the Customer Service desks for people experiencing homelessness or food insecurity. While none of these solutions are the sole solutions to address panhandling outright, these solutions may provide other outlets to give and further insights about the resources available to those who may decide to panhandle.
We will continue to assess what we can further do to address panhandling and support those who panhandle such as additional signage, education, or partnerships in our neighborhoods. We appreciate all of you who have expressed concerns either for your safety or for the safety of those who panhandle. Both are important and it is a complicated issue for the entire community. It’s also very personal to those who are most vulnerable in society.
Winter Is Upon Us; Let’s Keep Each Other Warm
We hope you are doing something special to give tribute to those you support and those who support you as we end the decade and move forward cooperatively together. On behalf of the Co-op, happy holidays and New Year to you.