Fare Share Food Cooperative on Main Street, Norway Photo by Zizi Vlaun

NORWAY — Fare Share Food Cooperative, a beloved neighborhood cooperative grocer since 1978 with over 800 member-owner households, is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a Thrive Maine forgivable loan totaling $475,000. This ARPA loan, provided through the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), will enable Fare Share Co-op to further its mission of promoting access to healthy, affordable, and environmentally responsible food choices for the residents of Norway and surrounding areas.

The Thrive Maine loan, which was awarded after a competitive application process, represents a significant milestone for Fare Share Co-op. The funds will be instrumental in supporting the cooperative’s ongoing efforts to address the issue of community resilience and food security, with lessons learned from the pandemic. To support this goal, Fare Share has created a development plan that will culminate on its 50th anniversary in 2028, including the renovation of its historic building on Main Street in Norway, expansion of grocery operations, and increased access to affordable and ethically sourced food, as well as to provide a coworking space as support for local nonprofits and business start-ups.

Fare Share Co-op intends to utilize the loan to achieve several key objectives:

• Expansion and Renovation: A portion of the grant will be allocated to expand the Market’s physical space, enabling the cooperative to offer a wider range of locally-produced, sustainable products, and create a true “store” for the community for dry goods, staples, root vegetables, and paper products that the community can rely on in times of need.
• Greater Food Accessibility: Fare Share has taken to heart the mission of the 2016 Maine Food Strategy Framework: to provide 30% of Maine’s food regionally by 2030. Access to affordable and healthy food is an ongoing issue, particularly here in rural Maine, where distribution is not as robust as it is on the coast. These funds will allow Fare Share to expand its already popular Discount Grocery, and further support local farmers and producers, instead of depending on national distributors for our basic food needs.
• Sustainability Initiatives: Far Share Market will allocate funds to support more sustainable agricultural practices by local farmers and producers, as well as reducing its own environmental footprint by increasing energy efficiency and transitioning completely to solar power.
• Fair Wages: Fare Share prides itself on offering an excellent work environment for its staff. They have been increasing wages regularly over the years and will now be using these funds to further provide not just a living wage, but a thriving wage.
• Community Business Support: Fare Share’s historic building currently houses twelve nonprofits and businesses. These funds will be used to create a co-working space to meet local, small, and start-up businesses with affordable opportunities to thrive in our Main Street business community.

‘We are deeply honored to receive the Thrive Maine forgivable loan,’ said Carol Marsh, Board President of Fare Share Food Co-op. ‘This opportunity is a game changer and will enable us to make significant strides toward our goal of creating a more resilient and inclusive food system right here in Norway, Maine. We are excited to work with our community to bring these initiatives to life.’

Fare Share Co-op extends its gratitude to the Finance Authority of Maine for their generous support and commitment to empowering local cooperatives and community-driven initiatives.

For more information about Fare Share Co-op and its sustainable food offerings and how you can be involved, visit www.faresharecoop.org.