Thank You for Supporting Pennies for Change!

To Our Community,

I would like to thank all of the employees, members, and shoppers who have reached out to us over the past week to show their appreciation for Pennies for Change, our innovative round-up program.

Pennies for Change hit a huge milestone this year—more than $1 million donated directly to Upper Valley nonprofits since June 2016, the largest donation in Co-op history.

The news was covered by our friends at Daybreak, a popular regional email newsletter, and we have seen a steady stream of interest and appreciation ever since.

I encourage you to visit Pennies for Change online and read the moving letters of appreciation our community partners have shared with us over the years. In the meantime, I am excited about working toward the next million.

Lebanon Project Update

This week our teams are reviewing key contractual details for the infrastructure upgrades for Lebanon, a multifaceted project that will bring much-needed enhancements to the store— lighting, heating, cooling, and refrigeration to name just a few key objectives. The project is on track and we anticipate starting construction in the spring.

Housing and Transportation

Allan Reetz, our Co-op’s Director of Public and Government Affairs, continues to make housing and transportation a priority. These issues are vital to our cooperative, since they are linked to employment and integral to a region’s economic future.

Currently Allan is working with the New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility’s Housing Advocacy Committee. The group’s focus is on improving access to public transit, increased safety of bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and building partnerships with regional and state associations. My thanks to Allan and all the members of the committee for their efforts. I will keep you updated as the work progresses.

Wrap Up

Thank you to our cooperative community, and as always, I welcome your comments and questions. Please reach out to me anytime. In the meantime, remember to be kind to one another and to yourselves. We look forward to serving you in our stores and at the curbside.

Onward and upward,

Thanks,

Paul

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Paul Guidone

Paul Guidone, CFA, spent the better part of four decades in the investment management business here and abroad. He held positions ranging from analyst through Deputy Chairman and Group CEO, at organizations such as Citigroup (US) and The HSBC Group (London and Hong Kong). He joined the Co-op in 2016 as the CFO and in 2018 became Strategic Advisor to the General Manager. Paul was appointed by the Co-op Board as interim General Manager in March 2020 and General Manager in September 2020. To contact, email PGuidone@coopfoodstore.com.

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