Round Up!

Front of building with garden closeup- BEST2 2020.jpg

Change for our Community

Change for our Community gives shoppers the opportunity to donate their spare change to local organizations every time they shop. In Lawrence, a different organization is featured as the recipient each month. In Kansas City, one organization is selected for the year. One hundred percent of all donations collected go to the organizations. In 2023, we — as a co-op community — raised $65,065.96. Since the program began in January 2014, we have raised over $700,000 for over 65 local nonprofits.

The Change for our Community applications are open October each year.

Kansas City’s 2024 Recipient

The Hub Argentine

The Hub Argentine, Inc. is a non-profit organization in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, KS. Our mission is to connect people to their gifts, neighbors, faith and culture, vital resources for health and wholeness, stories, and joy.

We embody this mission through 7 programs, which include a free grocery store, free clothing store, community garden, after school program, community shower program, and groups for connection and health and wholeness. Your donation today directly impacts our community. Thank you!

Lawrence’s December Recipient

The Giving Tree

Now in its 25th year, The Giving Tree serves as an opportunity to help our neighbors.

In Lawrence, shoppers take paper ornaments from the tree that represent gifts for our adopted families through ECKAN. In Kansas City, shoppers have the opportunity to help The Hub Argentine provide meals to families in need.

All funds collected through the registers with our Round Up program will go towards the purchase of any remaining items and supporting the organizations.

Donate to the change program online

Learn more About the application process

How Change Works

There are Four ways to contribute to Change:

Round Up: Round the amount of your order up to the next dollar and the difference will be redirected to this month's Change recipient.
Bag Refunds: Bring your own bag, and the 5¢ bag refund will be redirected to the Change recipient.
Donate online to our current Change for our Community recipient.
Change Jars: Drop your spare change into the jars at our cash registers. (Lawrence location)

Together, we have helped fund a number or worthwhile needs and projects, including:

the purchase of special communication devices for children who do not have a voice or who are delayed in speaking (Tiny K Early Intervention, October 2015)
tuition scholarships for Douglas County children in need (Positive Bright Start, March 2016)
providing for the immediate needs of those seeking shelter, including fresh, healthy food (Willow Domestic Violence Center, May 2016)

The co-op cannot track Round Up donations for tax purposes. Currently our Point of Sale (POS) system only has the capability of retrieving an owner's receipts for the past 90 days. Customers who wish to track are encouraged to use the Round Up total on their receipts provided by the cashier. We will keep this request in mind when evaluating potential POS upgrades.

2025 Change Recipients

Recent Change Partners

After the Harvest

Lawrence Meals on Wheels

Friends of the Kaw

ECKAN Douglas County

Big Brothers Big Sisters

El Centro, Inc.

2024 Change Recipients

January 2024

Native Lands Restoration Collaborative

Native Lands Restoration Collaborative and our volunteers protect and restore landscapes on public property and support landowners as they strive to meet conservation goals.

Our work empowers land stewards (like you!) to build and conserve resilient native ecosystems through field excursions, hands-on workshops and trainings. Thank you for rounding up — your change will directly support our land stewardship team!

AMOUNT RAISED — $5,327.43

February 2024

100 Good Women

100 Good Women is a long-standing, volunteer-only organization that has spent the last 27 years raising resources for Douglas County locals. Your donation will go directly to local residents in need. We promote well-being in our community through service, education and social connection.
Learn more at 100GoodWomen.org

AMOUNT RAISED — $5,697.24

March 2024

Children’s Learning Center

The philosophy of the Children’s Learning Center is to help children develop skills that create a strong foundation for life and learning. High emphasis is placed on the emotional security of the children, and much personal attention is given to the children to allow them to feel they are loved and valued as individuals. We believe that children’s innate curiosity can lead them to discover new skills in areas of cognition, language development, motor development, creative expression, and social awareness. Both school locations provides a rich array of stimulating possibilities to arouse the children’s interest while preparing them for the next step in education.

AMOUNT RAISED — $5,576.59

April 2024

Growing Food Growing Health

Growing Food Growing Health’s mission is to nourish and inspire personal well-being, strengthen community connections, and support local, sustainable food systems. We fulfill our mission by creating beautiful and productive gardens, developing youth leaders who are the stewards of our gardens, and sharing our bounty with those most in need in our community.

We run two gardens — the Growing Food Growing Health Garden at West Middle School, and the Growing Food Growing Hope Garden at First Step, a residential addiction treatment center for women and their children. All produce from these gardens, over 4,000 lbs. in 2023, is donated to help feed and nurture our community, either distributed at our weekly Free Market at Edgewood Homes or given to the kitchen at First Step.

Amount raised — $5,723.04

May 2024

The Ballard Center

The Ballard Center in North Lawrence helps families in lots of ways. Ballard provides affordable childcare and is very successful with getting children ready for kindergarten. Ballard also operates a food and clothing pantry open to everyone and assists families with paying rent and utility bills. Each year the Ballard Center helps more than 10,000 people in the Lawrence community.

AMOUNT RAISED — $5,748.56

OCTOBER 2024

Children’s Advocacy Center

The CAC Douglas County works to ensure that children and families affected by child abuse receive a compassionate, community-based intervention through a multidisciplinary team approach to prevent, identify, investigate, prosecute, and treat child maltreatment.

AMOUNT RAISESD — $4,992.37

NOVEMBER 2024

Lawrence Meals on Wheels

Lawrence Meals on Wheels provides daily hot nutritious meals made for individuals specific dietary needs, to help them remain safe and healthy in their own homes as long as possible. With the help of over 110 volunteers each week, we deliver so much more than just a meal. Our volunteers also provide a wellness check and a friendly visitor with each delivery. We serve homebound elderly and/or disabled individuals of all ages. With the support of the Lawrence Community, we do not turn anyone away due to their inability to pay for our services.