PCC Community Markets Donated Nearly 2 Million Pounds of Food and Goods to Puget Sound Area in 2021

(SEATTLE, March 2, 2022) – PCC Community Markets (PCC), the largest community-owned food market in the U.S. and one of Seattle’s original grocers, shared the results of the co-op’s 2021 community relations and giving efforts, which included donating nearly 2 million pounds of food and goods and contributing nearly $1 million through donations, in-kind assistance and funds raised by its community to support local organizations. Last year, PCC operated 15 locations across the Puget Sound area, all focused on the co-op’s mission to ensure that good food nourishes the communities it serves while cultivating vibrant, local, organic food systems.

“I am proud of the impact we have been able to make throughout the Puget Sound because of the efforts of our dedicated staff,” commented Krish Srinivasan, PCC Community Markets CEO. “I have served on the co-op’s leadership team since 2018 and have been a member for more than 25 years. I chose to become a member and build a career at PCC because I believe in our focus: supporting our neighbors. I am committed to working with our staff to continue this critical work — doing good in our communities will forever inform our actions and be a cornerstone of what PCC stands for.”

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Ensuring Good Food Nourishes Local Communities

PCC delivered more than 1.5 million meals to local neighborhoods in 2021, 100,000 more than the prior year. Additionally, the co-op supported multiple efforts to nourish its communities, including:

• Hunger Relief: Last year, PCC supported more than 45 organizations with more than $200,000 to assist like-minded local organizations in the hunger relief system. This work includes the co-op’s Downtown Seattle Food Access Grants that awarded six nonprofits with a total of $30,000 to help address food insecurity through the purchase of organic food.
• Donations and Event Sponsorships: The co-op donated to and sponsored local and regional events and programs through nearly $120,000 in support.
• PCC Grants: In 2021, PCC provided $45,000 in grants to support its local community. In support of the co-op’s longstanding relationship with Ventures, a Seattle-based nonprofit working to empower local entrepreneurs, PCC issued its Diverse Entrepreneur Grant program providing free capital to local, underrepresented small businesses.
• Bags for Good: For every reusable bag used by members and shoppers at checkout, 5 cents was contributed to the PCC Food Bank Program as well as to Washington Farmland Trust. Last year, PCC donated nearly $60,000 through shoppers’ reusable choices.

Cultivating Vibrant, Local, Organic Food Systems

Since the co-op’s founding in 1953 as a food-buying club, PCC remains dedicated to preserving local farmland and fostering high standards by partnering with Northwest producers, farmers, ranchers and makers. In 2021, PCC demonstrated this support through:

• Washington Farmland Trust: PCC was the original founder of the Trust, now a standalone nonprofit; the co-op remains deeply committed to supporting its work. In 2021, PCC provided more than $117,600 to help Washington Farmland Trust in its critical work to preserve and steward Washington’s threatened farmland.
• Connecting Farms and Food Banks: Growing for Good is a partnership between PCC, Neighborhood Farmers Markets and Harvest Against Hunger that supports local hunger relief systems and local farms. In 2021, the program connected 14 local, organic farms with 19 partner food banks. Through the Growing for Good program, 43,000 pounds of organic produce was purchased from local farms to provide specifically what local food banks needed. More about this program can be found in PCC’c current Sound Consumer issue, here.
• In-Store Purchases Equal Local Support: PCC provided nearly $50,000 to the Center for Whale Research and Long Live the Kings through in-store vendor partnerships. When shoppers bought locally crafted Cards by Lodie and Chinook Wine, a portion of the sale went to Center for Whale Research and Long Live the Kings, respectively.

“The future of farming in Washington is under threat,” said Melissa Campbell, Executive Director of Washington Farmland Trust. “With the support of partners like PCC Community Markets, we are working to protect farmland and keep land in production by making it accessible to a new generation of farmers. Investing in Washington farmland promotes healthy soil, local food, and thriving rural economies. Simply put: Healthy farms make our communities better.”

PCC is committed to a triple bottom line operating model, which balances economic, social and environmental goals while reducing environmental impacts and giving back to the community. From supporting like-minded environmental organizations to educating the local community on climate change and protecting sustainable farming through significant donations, PCC is committed to both the Puget Sound community and the planet.

About PCC Community Markets

Founded in Seattle in 1953, PCC Community Markets (PCC) is a certified organic retailer and the nation’s largest community-owned food market with an active membership of more than 100,000 members. With an unmatched enthusiasm for making food from scratch, PCC is a haven for those who share a dedication to fresh, organic, seasonal food that is sustainably sourced from over 800 local producers, farmers, ranchers and fishers.

The co-op’s mission is to ensure that good food nourishes the communities it serves, while cultivating vibrant, local, organic food systems. PCC operates 16 stores in the Puget Sound area, including the cities of Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Edmonds, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond and Seattle. Seattle stores are in the neighborhoods of Ballard, Central District, Columbia City, Downtown, Fremont, Green Lake, View Ridge and West Seattle. The co-op also plans to open a new store in Madison Valley.