Weavers Way Expands Food Access with Discount for Senior Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 21, 2015 — On the heels of the successful Food For All discount program for Co-op member-owners on public assistance, Weavers Way is announcing another food-access effort, this one a weekly 10% discount for members who are 65 or older.

Senior Discount Tuesdays kick off Tuesday, May 5, also the day Weavers Way is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Chestnut Hill store.

“It seemed like a great way to generate enthusiasm,” said Weavers Way Membership Manager Kirsten Bernal. “But people are already lining up to sign up. They’re thrilled.”

In the new program, Co-op members need only fill out a short application and show proof of age. Discounts are linked to member numbers at the cash register and are taken automatically — and discreetly —all day every Tuesday. (Convenience items like stamps and newspapers are excluded.)

The senior discount is a household benefit; everyone in the household of a member who is signed up for the discount is entitled to it. What’s more, the discount is “stackable,” meaning that members who already receive the 5% discount for doing Co-op work hours can save a total of 15%. (The senior discount cannot be combined with the Food for All low-income discount.)

“Our members had made it clear they were concerned about pricing and affordability, especially for those on fixed incomes,” Bernal said. “The senior discount and Food for All are just two ways we’re working to alleviate those concerns."

Food For All, launched in January, provides a 10 percent discount for Weavers Way member-owners who are on public assistance, including SNAP, WIC, TANF and Medicaid. FFA participants also make a reduced annual equity payment. (Most Weavers Way members pay $30 a year, to a maximum of $400, as their share of ownership of the Co-op. FFA members pay $5 a year.) As with the senior discount, members must apply and provide documentation, but FFA members must re-register annually. Discounts are taken automatically at the register and FFA members can stack the Working Member and Weavers Way-branded products discounts.

An additional advantage of the Food For All discount is that it applies to items beyond what SNAP and WIC cover, from prepared foods in the deli to pet food and our sustainably produced bath and body products. The Co-op currently has 38 households in the program.

The Food For All initiative was developed by Weavers Way’s Food Justice Committee, which has as its mission finding ways to make healthy food affordable to more people in the community. The senior discount grew out of a series of open member meetings co-hosted by the Food Justice Committee and Weavers Way management over the winter to discuss food access and pricing overall.

For more information on Food For All, visit www.weaversway.coop/food-for-all. For details about Senior Discount Tuesdays, which start May 5, visit www.weaversway.coop/senior-discount-Tuesdays.

About Weavers Way: Founded in 1973 as a neighborhood food buying club, Weavers Way has grown to encompass four stores and two urban farms. In May 2015, Weavers Way celebrates the fifth anniversary of its Chestnut Hill location. Cooperatively owned by 5,400 member households, “the Co-op” emphasizes products that are healthy, sustainable and local, and supports fair prices, fair trade and fair treatment of workers. At Weavers Way, anyone can join and everyone can shop. For more information, visit www.weaversway.coop.