Our Co-op Community

PCC has strong Pacific Northwest roots. We have been giving to our community for decades—supporting neighborhoods, ensuring a sustainable and accessible food system and protecting the environment. Read on to learn about some of the latest projects we’ve assisted and connect with us online so we can support your efforts to build a more healthy and sustainable community.

“Green City” days around the Sound

As our nonprofit partner Forterra puts it, “We are all connected, but we don’t always feel that way.” That’s why PCC is supporting Forterra’s Green City days, where the nonprofit works with municipalities around the region to restore forested parks and natural areas, empowering community members to come together and make a lasting difference. Green Cities began in 2004 as a partnership between Forterra and the city of Seattle to restore and maintain public parks. In the years since it’s expanded its reach and scope to 11 other cities, allowing folks to join together planting trees, pulling weeds, or otherwise supporting whatever defines a healthy ecosystem in their own community.

Forterra forms those connections through land, PCC often approaches them through food. We are proud to offer financial support to Green City days, and store locations like Kirkland, Redmond and Green Lake Village have supplied tasty snacks to keep the volunteers moving. There’s nothing like a hot cup of coffee and a PCC fruit and nut bar on a rainy Pacific Northwest day to stay motivated. Beyond that, staff members consistently volunteer to participate in the hands-on work programs connected to their neighborhoods. After all, we’re in this together.

Restoring our shared public spaces needs community-based solutions. To volunteer and get your hands in the soil this fall, visit forterra.org/events.

Harvest time reward through local gardening

As we move into a new season, hunkering down into our warm soups, stews and casseroles, it’s rewarding to slow down and enjoy each bite. Perhaps you’ve had a hand in growing your own harvest, which can be even more satisfying. For PCC Green Lake Aurora, the reward comes knowing that store contributions helped support the ninth growing season of the Greenwood Senior Center’s raised garden beds. The Senior Center, also known as SAGE (Seniors Active, Giving and Engaged), manages gardens located at the Greenwood Senior Center and the Greenwood Station P-Patch.

A team of committed volunteers works from February through October — from planning the garden layout to weeding and harvesting. The Senior Center uses the harvest for its made-from-scratch lunches and Monday night Hot Meal Program. The program supports a well-rounded healthy lifestyle by providing fresh produce and the opportunity to stay active.

Engaging all ages in the garden, sharing in work and reward, has sparked discussions about sustainability, food justice and land use. Other times, the flavor is the focus. This closed loop system of growing and sharing sustenance close to home makes us gratified to support organizations like the Greenwood Senior Center.