GiveMN Fundraiser Frequently Asked Questions

With the launch of our fundraiser on Friday July 24^th, we understandably received a lot of questions. We have read everyone’s emails, messages, and comments and decided to put together this list of frequently asked questions.

1.       Why don’t you do a round up for Spiral?

While we have Rounded Up at the register for ourselves in the past to purchase bigger carts and a bike rack, we have not rounded up to help our current situation. Our main goal with round up is to help local non-profits and even though we could benefit from Rounding Up for ourselves instead, we do not want to deprive our round up partners of their potential funds.

2.       Can I Round Up at the register for Spiral Food Co-op instead?

The option to Round Up for Spiral Food Co-op has always been there; we just don’t advertise it because we want the dollars you are able to give to go to our non-profit partners. That said, we do have folks round up for us and we are super grateful. If you would like to round up for Spiral in any amount just let the cashier know at checkout. Unlike our GiveMN fundraiser, rounding up is not tax deductible.

3.       Is Spiral Food Co-op a non-profit?

No, we are not non-profit, but we are owned by our community which makes us different than other grocery stores. Most grocery stores operate on only a 1-2% profit margin, which is made even slimmer when disaster hits like it did with us.

4.       What happened with the “accounting error” mentioned in the letter from the GM and how are you making sure it won’t happen again?

During our register system upgrade an error entering data in our accounting system overstated our bank account. The entry of daily sales is now an automated process, eliminating the potential for future errors.

5.       I’m not able donate but I still want to help the co-op, what can I do?

There are many ways to help us get through this difficult time:

·       Simply shopping at the co-op on a regular basis. We lost a lot of business during the 2-month-long construction right outside our store and losing those shoppers has made a big impact.

·       Become a co-op owner/member. We appreciate everyone that shops at Spiral and of course you don’t need to be an owner to shop but our ownership makes up over 60% of our shoppers and becoming an owner is a great way to not only support the co-op but to help shape our future.

·       Spread the word! We love seeing people hyping us up on social media, leaving glowing reviews, and telling all their loved ones about us. Word of mouth is still one of the biggest ways new shoppers hear about us.

As always please feel free to reach out with any questions

General Manager Matt gm@spiral.coop

Board of Directors board@spiral.coop