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Store Hours: 8 am-9 pm, Daily
Closed: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Carbondale
Chamber of Commerce
2024
Business of the Year!
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.)
1st Quarter Recipients: January - March 2026
Wooden Nickels
Makernauts
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Established in August, 2021, the Makernauts Club is a STEAM club at Carbondale Middle School (CMS) located in Carbondale, IL. This club helps students to think about, create, and print items on a 3-D printer. The goal of this club is to help students who are interested in engineering find ways to excel and have fun. The ultimate goal at the end of the semester is to design and print a working 3-D hand.
This club is unique because it gives precedence to students with IEPs and 504s, but also serves students who are enrolled in AP courses. Students with special learning needs oftentimes feel unnoticed and excluded from clubs simply because they are different. Makernauts Club is an all-inclusive club and also brings STEAM to a high-poverty, highly diverse district.
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090463542167&sk=photos
The Infinity Project
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The Infinity Project is a nonprofit organization founded in November 2024 with one mission: to keep pets in their homes with the families who love them. We believe that no one should have to give up their pet due to a lack of resources, which is why we work to remove financial and logistical barriers for families across Southern Illinois.
What We Do:
• Provide emergency vet assistance for unexpected medical costs
• Offer low-cost or free microchipping
• Fund spay and neuter services to reduce shelter intake
• Operate a pet food bank for families in need
• Assist with end-of-life care when no other support is available
Since launching, we’ve helped hundreds of pets avoid surrender, shelter intake, or unnecessary suffering. From covering the cost of emergency surgery for a dog bitten by a venomous spider to microchipping nearly 200 pets in our first few months, our impact has been immediate and meaningful.
How We Benefit Southern Illinois:
We serve families all across Southern Illinois, especially in rural and underserved areas, by acting as a safety net when pet care becomes financially overwhelming. By helping pets stay in their homes, we also reduce the burden on local shelters, rescues, and animal control facilities.
Future Goals:
Our next major goal is to raise funds for a facility that can serve as a temporary safe haven for pets whose families are facing crisis—such as hospitalization, domestic violence, or housing instability. This will allow us to step in before pets are permanently separated from their homes.
We’re committed to growing our reach, building local partnerships, and ensuring no pet is left behind simply because their family fell on hard times.
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