It’s where you go to fill your tank, stock up on groceries, pick up your prescriptions, or get supplies for your farm and home. It’s also where investment in the community is taken just as seriously as serving it.
“As a co-operative, our purpose goes beyond just providing products and services,” says Homestead Co-op marketing and communications manager Shannon Vaughan. “We are committed to strengthening the places where we live and work. We invest in local organizations, events, and initiatives that align with our values of integrity, excellence, and responsibility, ensuring that our contributions enhance the lives of those in our communities.”
In 2024, Homestead Co-op donated nearly $155,000 to local projects and organizations. Key 2024 projects included:
- The Oakville Community Centre- $30,000 over two years to sponsor the Co-op Community Kitchen
- Portage Skate & Snow Park- $67,000 donated through Co-op Community Spaces
- Eagle Wings Flight School- fuel cards for their Indigenous youth assistance program
- United Way Financially Empowering Young Adults (FEYA)- gift cards to help young adults learn financial literacy
- Fuel Good Day donated $3,500 each to Carman’s Clearwater Memorial Playground Project, with wheelchair accessible playground equipment, Visions of Independence and the Portage Friendship Centre’s Tools for School Program in partnership with the local United Way and the Portage School Division, for a total of $10,500 as part of Fuel Good Day.
- Almost $10K to various 4-H Clubs
“We also support a wide range of organizations including local charities, youth programs, food security initiatives, schools, community events, culture and the arts, and sports and recreational programs,” Vaughan notes. “Whether it’s helping a local food bank, sponsoring a minor sports league, or supporting an agricultural fair, we focus on initiatives that make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Current initiatives for 2025 and beyond include a substantial in-kind donation for Koko Platz through their MacGregor Farm & Building Centre, and ongoing sponsorships of a section of the Portage Rotary Duck Pond and one of the docks on the crescent in Portage. Add these to financial and product donations to local food banks, partnering on events and projects with the National Indigenous Residential School Museum, the Portage Skating Club, and Concerts in the Park. Other 2025 plans for support in other communities include MacGregor Collegiate and Nursery School, the Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede and the Austin and MacGregor Fire Departments and 4-H Clubs from across their trading area.
Beyond financial donations, Homestead Co-op shares their time and resources, too.
“We volunteered around 150 employee hours for Free Fry Day in 2024,” Vaughan lists. “We donated ketchup and worked with McCain to hand out free fries and hashbrowns in exchange for donations for Ronald McDonald House Manitoba. Then there was Breakfast with Santa in December, supporting the Carman and Area Christmas Cheer Board.”
Additionally, Homestead Co-op has a yearly tradition of hosting Co-op Week Celebrations, where they engage with members through customer appreciation events, giveaways, and community barbecues. And this past year, handed out equity cheques during Co-op Week.
On a more individual scale, Vaughan shares that Homestead Co-op actively encourages team members to get involved in their communities and provides opportunities for staff to suggest and champion causes they care about in order to ensure that their impact as a business is both meaningful and personal. Moreover, their Co-op Community Involvement Program rewards volunteer work- employees who volunteer a certain number of hours each quarter are entered into a draw, where prizes are a donation of $500 to a charitable organization of the winner’s choice, plus a $50 gift card to a local restaurant for the volunteer.
Looking ahead, Homestead Co-op hopes to grow as a trusted community partner that adapts as member needs evolve. Continuing to participate in community through sponsorships, hands-on volunteering, and partnerships that address emerging challenges, they’ll work hard to ensure that the impact they make is a positive one.
For more information about community investment or how to become a member for just $10 with no annual fees, stop by any Homestead Co-op location or visit their website.