Lakewood, CO—The 2025 holiday season is upon us, and that means the start of additional efforts to support community members, such as the annual Natural Grocers Holiday Food Bank Campaign. Every year, the family-operated retailer partners with local food banks across 21 states to help families struggling with food shortages during the holiday season. From November 1-December 31,168 Natural Grocers locations will be collecting and donating 100% of the non-perishable items and $1, $5, $10 customer donations it collects directly to the store's local food bank partner.
With "Commitment to Community" representing one of Natural Grocers' Five Founding Principles, the retailer has partnered with many organizations throughout the country. This year, Natural Grocers will run its "Bring Your Own Bag" (which donates five cents per shopping trip to local food bank partners each time customers use reusable bags at checkout) and "Holiday Food Bank" at the same time, doubling efforts to provide communities with access to affordable, healthy food.
"Our food bank partners are doing extraordinary work to help their neighbors during a time of increasing need, and we're grateful to play a small role in supporting them," shared Raquel Isely, Vice President of Marketing at Natural Grocers. "Through our annual Holiday Food Bank Fundraiser, our Bring Your Own Bag program, and our food rescue efforts, we're honored to help meet the growing need across the communities we serve. We encourage our customers to look for donation stations in each store or connect with a Crew member at the register to learn more."
Timely efforts
This year, such campaigns are resonating even more as Americans who were already grappling with the economic strain of rising costs and prices are now dealing with the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, fallout from the latest government shutdown.
As Karen Howard, CEO and Executive Director of Organic & Natural Health Association, explained in a column for WholeFoods Magazine, SNAP benefits are a major focus right now. "[SNAP] has become quite the target for States seeking fast remedies that enable generation after generation cheap access to junk food in the SNAP program. Iowa, Indiana, Utah, and Arkansas, among others, are taking the lead here. Texas has legislation to Make Texas Healthy Again. It includes restriction of SNAP benefits for the purchase of 'junk food,' and banning certain chemicals and additives from public school lunches. Legislation has already passed creating a 'Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee'...States have been enabled by the government’s decision to approve waivers that 'amend the definition of 'food' for purchase' with SNAP benefits to exclude items deemed 'unhealthy.'"
That said, Howard noted, this is "a moot point at the time of this writing, given the U.S. Congress preparation to withhold SNAP benefits because of a government shutdown. It must be noted the lack of urgency related to ensuring parents are able to provide food on the table because of a government stand-off is beyond the pale. It's also incongruent with publicly stated objectives to improve health outcomes."
News of SNAP benefits interruption led to members of the industry, including Debra's Natural Gourmet, to increase donation and assistance efforts. As Supermarket News reported, Sprouts Farmer's Market is helping affected individuals through its partnership with DoorDash, which was offering waived delivery fees on items purchased from the Grocer.
