New Pioneer Food Co-op announces community partnership program

Jenifer Angerer, marketing manager at New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City, shared information about a new program for New Pi members. Jen said it's exciting to see the co-op's move to reward volunteers with New Pi gift cards for volunteer hours worked with local non-profits.

"We are hoping for it to be wildly successful and we can expand it to more non-profits in the following years," she said.

Here is more about the program from the co-op:

New Pioneer Food Co-op, August 10, 2012: New Pioneer Food Co-op announces the creation of their Community Partnership Program, in which Co-op members may receive compensation for volunteering at area non-profits which address hunger or improve the environment. The program is currently open to those New Pi members who have served as working members at the Co-op in the past year.

Community Partners enrolled in the program include Table to Table, Crisis Center Food Bank, Free Lunch Program, Backyard Abundance, Local Foods Connection, Field to Family (formerly known as  Johnson County Local Food Alliance), and Farm to School.

“We recognize the merit of volunteer work in our community, and wish to support organizations which address the issues of hunger, local and sustainable food production, and education on food issues,” says Theresa Carbrey, Education Coordinator at New Pioneer.   “To that end, we've established the Co-op Community Partnership Program, in which volunteers may receive compensation for their work at designated non-profits.”

"We look forward to exploring this new opportunity to serve the community in partnership with New Pi," says Jessica Burtt Fogarty, Field to Family's Team Coordinator.

“New Pioneer is a genuine leader in the local food movement,” says Fred Meyer, Backyard Abundance Director. “Backyard Abundance has enjoyed collaborating with the Co-op on past community endeavors, and we are excited about this new program.”

New Pioneer Cooperative Society was founded as a natural foods cooperative grocer in Iowa City in 1971, and opened its Coralville branch in 2001. Today, New Pi is a thriving two-store food co-op with over 26,000 members. The stores provide local, organic, and natural foods to the Iowa City and Coralville area. New Pi is located at 22 S. Van Buren St. in Iowa City and at 1101 2nd St. in Coralville. Please visit

www.newpi.coop for more information.