The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund recently provided a loan to help the Littleton Food Co-op refinance and streamline its debt.
The co-op supports local growers and food producers, encourages healthy life choices, and promotes environmental sustainability. Last year, it purchased $3.5 million in products—30% of its total—from 184 local vendors.
It is also an active community partner, encouraging customers to “round up” their purchases to generate donations and awareness of local nonprofits, supporting fellow cooperatives, and helping economically challenged people and families buy fresh, healthy food.
The Community Loan Fund has supported the co-op since helping to fund its expansion in 2016. Since then, the co-op has added more than 4,100 members for a total of nearly 10,000. The co-op has also added 35 jobs since the expansion and on average has 100 full- and part-time employees.
“Food co-ops like Littleton’s are the lynchpins of our goal to support local food systems from farm to table,” said Community Loan Fund President and CEO Steve Saltzman. “Buying from local farmers and producers, then getting that healthy food in the baskets of shoppers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it, are practices we hope to see in every community.”
