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Community
Help build your community

The Co-op holds all kinds of charitable events throughout the year. Big or small, local or national, we feel it is important to support organizations that match values of community, health, sustainability, and the environment. 

 

Locally, we support smaller organizations that have a regional impact through our Wooden Nickels program. Shoppers receive a Wooden Nickel for every bag-able purchase when they bring their own bag to take it home in. They can then donate that Wooden Nickel to one of two nonprofits. These nonprofits are chosen quarterly from suggestions made by staff, customers, owners, and community members.

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To apply for our Wooden Nickel program please fill out our Wooden Nickel Application Form

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Other community donations: If you would like support for an event you have coming up, please let us know. Our resources are limited, but we will provide what we can.  Fill out our online Donation Request Form.
 

Our Donations Policy

Organizations must be a registered 501(c)3 Not-for-Profit; must be nonpartisan (not affiliated with or promoting any political issue, party, or candidate); cannot discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or physical disability; should benefit Southern Illinois communities and their citizens; are fundraising for programs that are not intended to advance a particular religious belief; and are fundraising for programs that meet all of the above criteria.

For any purchase requiring a bag, when you bring your own reusable bag, you will receive a wooden nickel per transaction to donate to one of two regional charities that change each quarter. You decide which organization to donate to. (Wooden Nickel donations are capped at $250 per organization. However, all cash donations will be given to the organization in addition to the Wooden Nickel contribution.)

3rd Quarter Recipients: July - September 2026

Wooden Nickels

Y'all Rock Carbondale

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Y’all Rock Carbondale is a youth centered music organization, founded in 2014, that provides a space for girls and gender marginalized youth to collaborate in music and self expression. We provide a yearly sliding scale music camp for kids in Southern Illinois aged 8-18. Over the past 10 years, we have served over 300 campers with over 80% attending at a reduced tuition fee and 30% attending completely for free. Community donations and support make it possible for us 
to continue to break down barriers and expand access to music education to underserved youth.

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Our yearly rock camp has reached capacity the past several years, next year we are hoping to expand to two camps, to increase the number of youth that we’re able to serve. We’re also hoping to increase the offerings of our year round programming for both youth and adults.

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www.yallrockcarbondale.org

Keep Carbondale Beautiful

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Keep Carbondale Beautiful initiates, plans, and directs cooperative efforts in litter control, recycling, community beautification, and environmental education. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been serving the Southern Illinois community since 1987 (initially as “Carbondale Clean & Green”) and we are an affiliate of Keep Illinois Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful.  

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www.keepcb.org

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