Northampton Mask Update
Transitioning to another phase of the pandemic
On Thursday night the Northampton Board of Public Health lifted the City's requirement for face masks to be worn in indoor public places. On February 23rd, the Easthampton Board of Health made the same decision for the City of Easthampton. Both Boards of Health also stated that businesses may maintain face mask requirements for customers and employees at their discretion.
When Easthampton changed its policy a few weeks ago, we decided to proceed with a degree of caution to transition into this next phase of the pandemic. We recommended our customers continue to wear face masks for a while longer, but are not requiring it. We will continue with this transition phase now in our Northampton store as well, recommending but not requiring face masks for our customers.
Recommendations for Both Easthampton and Northampton Stores
We are recommending, but not requiring, that customers in both our Northampton and Easthampton store consider wearing face masks until March 25th. This will enable our customers and staff a little more time to adjust to this change in public health policy.
Our employees will be supporting this transition phase by continuing to wear face masks until March 25th. As always, health exemptions are accommodated in both stores.
It is important to note that the CDC still states that people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. Also, those at high risk for severe illness are advised to wear a mask in high-risk locations and consult with their physician about wearing masks in moderate-risk areas. See the CDC's new tool with face mask recommendations for any location by state and county for more detailed information.
It is called the "Know the COVID-19 Community Level where you live" tool and can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
This is an easy-to-use tool showing a scale of Low, Medium, and High. You just enter your state and county to find out what the COVID-19 Levels are where you live and work.
Going Forward with our Daily All Masked Hour: 8am-9am
We established an All Masked Hour from 8am-9am daily in April of 2020 to support our customers needing and/or wanting that extra level of protection while shopping in the co-op. We will continue with this daily All Masked Hour requiring all staff and all customers to keep their muzzles covered (as our bear Ursula would say,) with a face mask. This has become a valued service to help support our community members with compromised immunity or other risk-related concerns. We plan to maintain this service going forward.
In spite of our abundance of caution, we do have a great deal of confidence in the air circulation filter technology used in both stores and our office. It works by disabling viruses, as well as killing bacteria and mold in the air. We credit this system's effectiveness in helping prevent the spread of COVID in our workplace, even during Omicron. This is only anecdotal evidence, but we have a workforce of over 200 people, most working 8 hours a day in our store with 1,000 +/- customers every day in each store. While we had some employees that contracted COVID (including many more in January than the entire rest of the pandemic), all but one had explicitly known sources of exposure outside of the co-op. One was unknown. Given the high number of employees and customers in both stores with highly variable face mask quality, our experience with Omicron certainly indicates that our co-op stores are a relatively safe environment for all our customers and employees.
We hope this helps provide some assurance for those concerned about the lifting of the mask requirements. Back in May of 2021, we also eased into a transition in Department of Public Health requirements by strongly recommending our customers keep their muzzles covered for another month if they could, most everyone did, and it worked out great.
Thank you!
We know our co-op owners have a wide range of opinions about wearing masks in different situations, and we all have different risk factors and situations to consider. We appreciate the high level of concern and care our community has shown to each other and our hard-working front-line co-op employees through this whole pandemic. Our staff has done great work in all the phases of this pandemic, and we have prioritized everyone’s safety from the start. We have worked through our COVID policy decisions in collaboration with our staff through the Labor Management Committee. The sincerity of the considerations this group has for everyone involved is heart-warming. Thank you all for your support in this next transition!
As always, we want to give both the Northampton and Easthampton Boards of Health a lot of gratitude for the care, considerations, and transparency in their public health policy. They and all our other healthcare workers have been working at public health emergency levels for two years. The Omicron surge in cases stretched our healthcare system and especially the hospitals to their capacity. Thank you to everyone involved for your service to our community!
We are so happy for everyone to see the number of COVID cases still going down.
Thank you all for all you do!
Transitioning to New COVID Face Mask Policies and Recommendations
Updated February 25, 2022
Today the CDC updated their COVID guidance criteria for when to recommend wearing face masks, including when to wear masks in indoor public locations. They have adjusted their criteria to weigh hospitalization rates and the number of available COVID hospital beds, as well as the case numbers. At this time, these changes drastically reduce the number of people that the CDC recommends wearing face masks in indoor public places, which includes our stores of course.
This is a significant change in CDC guidance. We’ve all just come through the worst of the Omicron surge in community cases that peaked in January. We are happy to see the trends in Omicron cases going down. But don’t throw out those face masks yet!
In our Northampton Store
At this time, there has been no change in Northampton's Department of Health requirement for wearing face masks in indoor public locations. This means that everyone in our Northampton store, as Ursula our bear would say, remains required to keep their muzzles covered for now.
In our Easthampton Store
In Easthampton this week, the Board of Health lifted the city requirement for wearing face masks in public indoor locations effective on Wednesday, February 23rd. They also clarified that businesses can maintain requirements for face masks within their businesses for customers and employees at their discretion.
We are going to proceed with a degree of caution at this time on our policy for face masks in our Easthampton store. Effective on Saturday, February 26th, we will be strongly recommending, but not requiring, that all our customers continue to "cover their muzzles" with a face mask for a little while longer. Face masks are still required for our employees. As always health exemptions are accommodated in both stores.
Going Forward
Our goal is to ease into a transition with this change in CDC guidance criteria and the Easthampton Board of Health COVID requirements. We anticipate upcoming changes in Northampton Board of Health requirements as well. This gives us all a little time to see how things go over the coming weeks before making a big change in masking policy ourselves.
We are also continuing with our daily 8 am-9 am All Masked Co-op Hour to accommodate our customers needing and/or wanting that extra level of protection while shopping in the co-op.
In spite of our abundance of caution at this time, we have a great deal of confidence in the air circulation filter technology used in both stores and our office. It works by disabling viruses, as well as, killing bacteria and mold in the air. We credit this system's effectiveness in helping prevent the spread of COVID in our workplace, even during Omicron. This is only anecdotal evidence, but we have a workforce of over 200 people, most working 8 hours a day in our store with 1,000 +/- customers every day in each store. While we had some employees that contracted COVID, (including many more in January than the entire rest of the pandemic), all but one had explicitly known sources of exposure outside of the co-op, one was unknown. Given the high number of employees and customers in both stores with highly variable face mask quality, our experience certainly indicates that our co-op stores are a relatively safe environment for all our customers and employees.
We hope this helps provide some assurance for those concerned about the likelihood that mask requirements inside the store will be coming to an end in the near future. Back in May of 2021, we also eased into a transition in Department of Public Health requirements by strongly recommending our customers keep their muzzles covered for another month if they could, most everyone did, and it worked out great.
Thank you for your support as we cautiously enter a phase of transition in the recommendations and requirements for mitigating the risk of exposure to COVID. We are hopeful that we all see the trends keep going in the right direction. This will help to build more people’s confidence for making a change in the near future to not having face mask requirements in the store except for our daily 8 am-9 am All Masked Co-op Hour.
New CDC Tool
It is important to note that the CDC still states that people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. Also, those at high risk for severe illness are advised to wear a mask in high-risk locations and to consult with their physician about wearing masks in moderate-risk areas. For more detailed information, see the CDC’s new tool with face mask recommendations for any location by state and county. It is called the "Know the COVID-19 Community Level where you live" tool and can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
This is an easy-to-use tool showing a scale of Low, Medium, and High. You just enter your state and county to find out what the COVID-19 Levels are where you live and work.
Thank you!
We know our co-op owners have a wide range of opinions about wearing masks in different situations and we all have different risk factors and situations to consider. We appreciate the high level of concern and care our community has shown to each other and our hard-working front-line co-op employees through this whole pandemic. Our staff has done great work in all the phases of this pandemic, and we have prioritized everyone’s safety from the start. We have worked through our COVID policy decisions in collaboration with our staff through the Labor Management Committee. The sincerity of the considerations this group has for everyone involved are heart-warming.
We want to give both the Northampton and Easthampton Boards of Health a lot of gratitude for the care, considerations, and transparency in their public health policy. The education and support in the implementation of COVID policies, the huge effort in vaccinations, tracking data, testing and problem solving of all kinds really have been just stellar. All our healthcare workers have been working at public health emergency levels for two years. The Omicron surge in cases stretched our healthcare system and especially the hospitals to their capacity and they deserve a standing ovation for keeping going through it all. We are so happy for everyone to see cases going down.
We’ve all been through a lot and it is heartening to look forward to an upcoming break in the intensity of this pandemic.
Thank you all for all you do!
COVID Update: New Store Hours Begin 1/6
January 5th, 2022 —
Dear Co-op Owners,
There is a forecast for COVID cases to keep rising in our community this week and next. This is due to holiday travel, gatherings, and events exposing more people to the virus. We have a number of COVID-related absences on our staff, stretching us thin now. We’ve decided to close our stores two hours earlier over the next few weeks. This will alleviate the strain on our staff to cover the stores while co-workers recover and complete quarantine requirements before returning to work.
We plan to start the temporary reduced store hours on Thursday, January 6th this week. Our hours in both stores will be 8am – 8pm. We will evaluate staff availability and hope to return to regular 8am – 10pm hours on Monday, January 24th, or as soon as possible.
Nearly all the positive COVID cases on our staff resulted from a known source of contact outside the stores, but a couple are unknown. While we all know the Omicron variant is highly contagious, we feel really good about the overall safety of our stores and office due to the combined effectiveness of wearing face masks, high vaccination rates, and the filtration system we installed in all our facilities. This filtration system helps clean the recirculated air of viruses, bacteria, and molds. All these things together help to make our co-op facilities safer for everyone.
Thank you for your patience as we go through another phase of the pandemic together. Thank you to our staff for their ongoing flexibility and teamwork in rising to current challenges, and thank you for all your ongoing support!
COVID-19 Update
Update: Tuesday,January 4, 2022
With higher COVID cases reported in Massachusetts over the last 30 days, including in Hampshire and Hampden counties, the importance of following all the safety practices we've learned during the past 21 months is certainly underscored. We have an extra layer of protection in our stores and office with filters in our air circulation system. We have both particulate filters and filters that specifically degrade COVID-19 and other viruses to help prevent infection, but everything else we do to protect against COVID is important too. I know we are all tired of these but it is still important to:
- Wear face masks when indoors in public places or at other group gatherings
- Sanitize or wash your hands frequently, especially before entering and upon exiting public buildings
- Get vaccinated if possible and test if you exhibit symptoms
- Do not go to work, attend gatherings of people or visit public places if you don't feel well
The rise in recent cases has impacted the co-op too. We have had employees that recently tested positive for COVID (please note that we are not required to provide this information by the health department or any other agency. The public health departments emphasize that a positive test result does not make River Valley Co-op a higher-risk environment than other public spaces). The following information helps provide some perspective on these cases:
On January 3, 2022, we were notified that two River Valley Co-op staff members tested positive for COVID-19 in our Northampton location and one in our Easthampton location. We immediately followed the steps outlined in our COVID 19 Policy and Protocol and informed any contacts. No Customers are considered to be a contact.
On December 29, 2021, we were notified that two River Valley Co-op staff members tested positive for COVID-19; 1 in Easthampton, 1 in Northampton. We immediately followed the steps outlined in our COVID 19 Policy and Protocol and informed any contacts. All close contacts were notified and followed our policies and protocols, which mirror CDC recommendations and local health department requirements. No customers were considered close contacts.
On December 23, 2021, we were notified a River Valley Co-op staff member tested positive for COVID-19 at our Northampton store. We immediately followed the steps outlined in our COVID 19 Policy and Protocol and informed any close contacts. The close contacts are also following our COVID-19 Policy and Protocols that mirror CDC recommendations. No customers were considered close contacts.
On December 8, 2021, we were notified a River Valley Co-op staff member tested positive for COVID-19 at our Easthampton store. This staff member was exposed outside of work. We immediately followed the steps outlined in our COVID 19 Policy and Protocol and informed any close contacts. The close contacts are also following our COVID-19 Policy and Protocols that mirror CDC recommendations. No customers were considered close contacts.
Thank you all for doing your part to wear face masks in the stores, as well as for staying out of the stores if you are not feeling well.
New Mask Policy Now in Effect
Update: Tuesday, December 7, 2021
With higher COVID cases reported in Massachusetts over the last 14 days, including in Hampshire and Hampden counties, the importance of following all the safety practices we've learned during the past 21 months is certainly underscored. We have an extra layer of protection in our stores and office with filters in our air circulation system. We have both particulate filters and filters that specifically degrade COVID-19 and other viruses to help prevent infection, but everything else we do to protect against COVID is important too. I know we are all tired of these but it is still important to:
- Wear face masks when indoors in public places or at other group gatherings
- Sanitize or wash your hands frequently, especially before entering and upon exiting public buildings
- Get vaccinated if possible and test if you exhibit symptoms
- Do not go to work, attend gatherings of people or visit public places if you don't feel well
The rise in recent cases has impacted the co-op too. We have had five employees that recently tested positive for COVID (please note that we are not required to provide this information by the health department or any other agency. The public health departments emphasize that a positive test result does not make River Valley Co-op a higher-risk environment than other public spaces). The following information helps provide some perspective on these five cases:
On October 27, 2021, we were notified that a staff member in Easthampton tested positive after being exposed outside of work. We immediately followed all the COVID-19 Policy and Protocol steps, including contact tracing for our workplace. All close contacts were notified and followed our policies and protocols, which mirror CDC recommendations and local health department requirements. No customers were considered close contacts. They have since been cleared to return to work.
On November 28, 2021, we were notified that two Easthampton staff members had been exposed at a gathering outside of work and tested positive. We immediately followed all the COVID-19 Policy and Protocol steps, including contact tracing for our workplace. All close contacts were notified and followed our policies and protocols, which mirror CDC recommendations and local health department requirements. No customers were considered close contacts.
On December 3, 2021, we were notified a River Valley Co-op staff member tested positive for COVID-19 at our Northampton store. The source of this contact was unknown. Again, we immediately followed the steps outlined in our COVID-19 Policy and Protocols and informed any close contacts who were notified and are following our COVID-19 Policy and Protocols that mirror CDC recommendations. No customers were considered close contacts.
On December 5, 2021, a second River Valley Co-op staff member tested positive for COVID-19 at our Northampton store, this one from a known exposure outside of work. We followed all the steps once again. No customers were considered close contacts.
Our only other positive case for an employee actively working in the stores happened last spring in Northampton, right before grocery workers were eligible for vaccinations. Having two recent cases in Northampton and three since October in Easthampton feels like a lot compared to our previous track record, especially after having gotten through all of 2020 with no employees working in the store testing positive.
It makes sense that the co-op would reflect the rise in community cases to some degree. With over 230 employees, five people that contracted COVID from four different locations is a concern, but as far as our workplace goes we are still doing pretty well. So far, we've had no cases known to originate in our stores and very few cases over the last 21 months. This provides some confidence about our co-op's practices remaining effective. It also highlights the importance of remaining careful, even when vaccinated while gathering with friends and family.
Thank you all for doing your part to wear face masks in the stores, as well as for staying out of the stores if you are not feeling well.
New Mask Policy Now in Effect
Update: August 10, 2021
Both our Northampton and Easthampton community health departments have issued new COVID safety measures for face masks in indoor public facilities. This is a prevention measure to help keep the community spread of the Delta Variant limited below the substantial and high levels all around us right now. These safety measures are for both vaccinated and unvaccinated shoppers and employees. There are no additional COVID restrictions at this time.
Both the Northampton Health Department and the Easthampton Health Department are requiring masks for indoor public facilities.
For River Valley Co-op shoppers and employees, this means:
- In Northampton, we’re all required to wear face masks in our store if you are over 2 years old and don’t have a health exemption.
- In Easthampton, we’re all required to wear face masks if you are over 2 years old and don’t have a health exemption.
- We will have complimentary face masks and face shields available in the front entryway for you to use, if needed.
- We have a daily masked hour in both stores from 8am – 9am. This hour of shopping is reserved for people wearing face masks to support those community members that require this level of safety when shopping in the co-op. We will continue to reserve the first hour (8am - 9am) for the immune-compromised, seniors (60+) or anyone who prefers shopping in an all-masked store.
- Exemptions to face masks requirements inside our Northampton and Easthampton stores from 9am – 10pm include children under 2 and anyone who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition. We are counting on your support for everyone’s safety.
- Masks are not required when you are eating and drinking.
We also run a Curbside Pickup service every day from our Northampton store location. To place an order or read about the service, or visit rivervalley.coop/curbside-pickup.
Thank you everyone for your kindness and understanding going forward in regard to people’s needs related to face masks.
Vax Facts Project!
May 7, 2021—
A Message from Rochelle, our General Manager
April 28, 2021
We are happy to announce that the report this week of an employee testing positive for COVID was a false alarm. Upon final test results all employees in quarantine were released to return to work by the Department of Health. That was great news to get for all of us!
A Message from Rochelle, our General Manager
April 27, 2021
We are happy to report that all the staff members that had to quarantine after a co-worker was diagnosed with COVID-19 have tested negative for COVID and are back to work! The employee that tested positive is recovering from home. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community for our employees in response to our first workplace case announcement.
Unfortunately, we've been notified of another employee that was diagnosed with COVID-19. This case is entirely unrelated to the first one. Please note that the health department does not consider this to reflect any more of a safety issue than any other public location, and we were not required to report this. We are letting you know about this because we know as owners of the co-op, this is an issue you care about.
This once again underscores the importance of continued diligence with mask-wearing and social distancing. Both our customers and staff members are required to follow these COVID safety policies at the co-op to help keep everyone safer. Thank you for your support with this!
We also want to reassure everyone that all our employees have paid time off for vaccinations, sick leave, testing, and required quarantine time.
We are looking forward to getting everyone back to work once they've passed the testing and quarantine requirements.
Thanks again for your support!
A Message from Rochelle, our General Manager
April 17, 2021
Dear River Valley Co-op Community,
In the interest of transparency and to underscore the ongoing importance of remaining vigilant about the importance of COVID-19 safety precautions, we want to inform you that on Friday, April 16, 2021, we learned that an employee from our co-op store has tested positive for COVID-19. Please note that we are not required to provide this information by the health department or any other agency. The CDC and public health departments emphasize that a positive test result does not make River Valley Co-op a higher risk environment than other public spaces. We are providing this information because, as co-op owners, we know you care about our staff and how we are making our co-op operations as safe as possible for everyone in our community. We hope the following information helps you understand the key details of importance to you on these issues.
Out of respect for the employee's confidentiality, we will not share any employee information that will allow them to be identified. However, we can tell you that they last worked at the co-op on Wednesday, April 14, and are self-quarantining at home as recommended by their healthcare professional and will remain out of the workplace until recovered and meeting all required timelines and testing for eligibility to return to work.
Upon learning of the result, we notified our local health department. We are following all recommended guidelines from public health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and city, county, and state public health departments.
We have identified and notified all staff members who may have been in close contact with the affected person. They will be self-quarantining at home to self-monitor for symptoms until meeting the health requirements, timelines and/or testing for eligibility to return to work.
We've done extra cleaning and sanitation in the area of the store that the employee worked in. This is in addition to our ongoing regular daily sanitation routines and overnight cleaning procedures. We require face-coverings for all employees, as well as customers. Our ventilation system settings and equipment are designed to provide fresh air and filtration to help minimize the risks to both employees and customers inside the store.
As part of our daily COVID-19 safety practices, we ask that any employee with known contact with a person that tested positive within the last 14 days or who exhibits symptoms to stay home, contact our HR department, and notify their physician as appropriate. We also require a quarantine period and/or testing for employees that travel before they can return to work. Our co-op has a generous sick leave and vacation policy. We are working with staff members on a case-by-case basis to ensure they have the support they need for required self-quarantine monitoring periods or any illness.
Our co-op prides itself on its cleanliness, social distancing, and safety standards, and we are taking multiple steps to serve your needs, care for our staff, and be a responsible member of our community. Here is an overview:
- All staff members verify they meet all the COVID-19 safety work eligibility requirements daily.
- All staff self-monitor themselves throughout the day and stay/go home if sick
- All employees and customers are required to wear face coverings as well as washing or sanitizing hands.
- All employees and customers are asked to maintain 6-foot social distancing from others, and Plexi-barriers are installed where 6-foot social distance is not possible and interactions between people may extend to several minutes at a time.
- Our HVAC system equipment and settings are designed to provide ample fresh air and specialized filtration to help minimize risks to both employees and customers inside the store.
- All common areas such as offices, bathrooms, and shared electronic equipment are disinfected and cleaned routinely every day.
- All high touch surfaces such as grocery carts and hand baskets and door handles are disinfected routinely throughout the day.
We are very grateful that more and more community members (now also including grocery workers) are gaining access to vaccines to help limit the risks and spread of COVID. Everyone's ongoing support meeting our safety requirements while shopping and working at the co-op, as well as mindfulness of safety in other activities is highly appreciated! This widespread community attention to safety helps us all to support each other through this ongoing challenging time. We also want to appreciate our local health department for their dedication to prioritizing high safety standards, often exceeding the state requirements on key issues.
We are also grateful to our employees for keeping the store going every day and remaining focused on our mission of supporting local farmers and food producers, and providing fresh, healthy food for our community. In addition to regular shopping services, our co-op staff has developed an online ordering program for either curbside pick-up or delivery. We offer curbside pick-up service at no extra charge to help support our community's needs. We've been improving our system for this program and are now providing next-day pick-up for online orders. Click here for more information about our online services: http://rivervalley.coop/curbside-pickup.
This is the first time we've had to send you a notice of a positive COVID case in River Valley Co-op, which is a testament to the work of our employees and the support of customers to follow our safety guidelines. Thank you!
If you have any further questions, please contact us at info@rivervalley.coop
Thank you, everyone, for your ongoing support!
With Gratitude,
Rochelle Prunty
General Manager
About the Coronavirus COVID-19
January 13, 2021 update:
We will continue with safety measures for the duration of the pandemic and adapt them as needed. With more people out and about, it is as important as ever to remain mindful of all the key COVID fighting measures―especially in public locations. State and local officials call for self-quarantining of all persons infected with COVID-19, however the reality is any one of us could have and spread the disease without knowing. Please follow the guidelines listed above to help protect yourself and others from potential unknown exposure while shopping at the co-op. For those with allergies or health conditions preventing them from meeting our COVID-19 shopping safety requirements, we also offer curbside pickup and delivery services. Please click here to access our online ordering system.
Click here for updates from the General Manager on the co-op's response to COVID-19 and more.
About the Coronavirus COVID-19
About the Coronavirus COVID-19
Updated June 11, 2020:
We will continue with safety measures for the duration of the pandemic and adapt them as needed. With more people out and about, it is as important as ever to remain mindful of all the key COVID fighting measures―especially in public locations. Of course state and local officials call for self-quarantine of all persons with COVID-19, however any of us could have and spread the disease without knowing. To help protect us all from unknown exposure while shopping at the co-op, we require that you either wash your hands with soap and water or use the hand sanitizer we provide in the front entryway. We also offer, but do not require, gloves as an added layer of protection. We do require that all store customers and staff wear a face covering. We have some face masks you can purchase if you don’t have your own. A bandana or scarf that consistently covers your nose and mouth is also fine. Note that you must keep whatever covering you use over your nose and mouth at all times while inside the store. The concept of all of us wearing face masks is that we protect each other by keeping our droplets to ourselves. We are now requiring customers unable to wear face masks due to health conditions to wear a complimentary face shield in combination with attention to social distancing for shopping in our store. This is a measure we’ve developed in consultation with the Department of Health for employees unable to wear face masks due to health reasons as well. The face shields are not as effective as the face masks, however they do help mitigate the risks in combination with social distancing. Special thanks to UMass for the donated face shields. For those with allergies or health conditions preventing them from meeting our COVID-19 shopping safety requirements, we are also offering a curbside pickup service.
Click here for the General Manager's latest update on the co-op's response to COVID-19 and more.
Updated May 14, 2020:
Many, many thanks for your patience and understanding these last few months! These times have been incredibly challenging for us all.
To better serve our community, we are expanding our hours as of Monday, May 18th. Our doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all shoppers every day. Please remember that we are still reserving the 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. hour for seniors and shoppers with compromised immune systems.
If it’s a physical hardship for you to stand for 10 or more minutes before entering the store let us know and we will give you priority.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding as we continue to make your safety our highest priority! As such, we are still requiring everyone entering the co-op to wear protective masks and gloves for the foreseeable future.
May 3, 2020 update:
On Sunday, May 3, the co-op will be closed in honor of Heroic Staff Day! This special paid holiday for our staff is in gratitude for the heroic work they have been doing! While our employees didn’t start the year expecting to find themselves on the front lines of a world pandemic, that is what they have been doing every day as essential community services workers—and they have done a great job!
Our employees kept the co-op going while the community was faced with the unprecedented widespread mandated shutdown of schools, businesses, and community events. Our employees kept the co-op going while our supply lines were thrown into chaos by the unprecedented demands on it. Our employees kept the co-op going every day since the COVID-19 crisis arrived in early March.
Please join us in thanking our staff for heroically rising to new challenges in their lives and work. This requires adaptation to a continual flow of unexpected practices, processes and tasks on a daily basis. We are grateful for the hard work keeping the co-op open, supporting our local vendors, and most importantly keeping each other, our customers and our community as safe as possible.
Our heroic staff is doing good work, important work—essential work—throughout this pandemic to serve our community. Thank you to all our employees for your hard work, commitment and many acts of kindness, care, generosity, courage, creativity, and teamwork!
And a huge thank you to our customers for supporting the co-op and our staff by choosing to keep your grocery shopping local. We are grateful for your kind words of appreciation, and for supporting this well deserved staff holiday on Sunday, May 3rd!
In spite of the need for social distancing, in this crisis we have strengthened how we are all stronger together.
Thank you!
April 16, 2020 update:
An important message to Co-op Owners and Customers:
Now at a time when we are all concerned about COVID-19, there is an email circulating that makes it sound like there is something new for us to worry about. This email references an ingredient in an EPA approved chemical used to disinfect our store to help protect our customers and staff. We contacted the Northampton Health Department immediately upon hearing of this and were reassured by the Director of the Department.
The Co-op has been in contact with the Health Department on a regular basis throughout this crisis. We engaged a professional commercial disinfecting company in our efforts to make the store as safe as we can for everyone.
This disinfecting product helps to greatly mitigate the risk of the spread of infections from store surfaces and grocery carts. It has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4), making it ideal for our needs. It is widely used in hospitals, nursing homes and daycare centers. It is safe to apply in retail environments, including food stores. The Enviroshield system is also used to disinfect COVID-19 positive facilities.
In the concerning email, a person claimed they had a reaction to the disinfectant. They said it created a sticky and toxic coating on their glasses, clothing, and products they purchased. They also suggested adverse impacts for personal health and HVAC equipment function. We empathize with the person’s concern. It sounds alarming. However, we cannot find any basis for these claims.
Operations management shut off the HVAC system prior to the application of the disinfectant. Afterward, they inspected the store thoroughly. There was no stickiness on any surfaces. No staff members or other customers reported any stickiness on clothing, glasses, products, keyboards, counters, shelves, door handles, etc.
The professional cleaning company that disinfected the store did so using all the same protocols and product guidelines as they have done for many other clients. This product does not off-gas any materials.
These are scary times. We are working hard every day, putting in very long hours to keep our Co-op safe and to provide you and your family with the necessary goods you need. Our team is doing extraordinary work. We feel bad that these unfounded claims have caused any concerns at a time when we are all working together to meet the real challenges of this health crisis.
Please, be safe and stay healthy.
For more information, see the following statement from JanPro, the company that we worked with.
The health and safety of our customers is our top concern. With that in mind, we are proactively taking extraordinary measures by applying advanced, non-toxic products, including the use of the EnviroShield system. This system includes cleaning and disinfecting processes followed by the application of Endure. The Endure system uses an EPA approved chemical that has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4) as do the other disinfecting products used in the EnviroShield system. Each of the products used in our EnviroShield system have been extensively tested and approved for use by the EPA in this application. The Endure product was applied several hours prior to the store being open to ensure that the treatment had settled, which typically occurs within thirty minutes. This product dries as a solid and does not “off-gas” any materials. Under these conditions, respiratory issues related to this product would not be expected. That said, many people can be sensitive to other disinfecting chemicals, including alcohols, sanitizers, or other cleaners used in this or other locations. If you would like additional information about EnviroShield and the products we use we’re happy to send you a follow-up message. Please contact us at adam.wilson@jan-pro.com Thank you.
April 15, 2020 update:
FACE MASKS ARE NOW REQUIRED
The Co-op has taken great care to monitor the evolving situation with COVID-19. We’ve adapted to the needs of our community while ensuring our in-store policies comply with any adjustments or additions to safety recommendations being put forward by local health officials. One such change concerns the use of face masks by our staff and customers.
Starting Thursday, April 16, shoppers and employees will be required to wear face coverings at all times on Co-op property. Under a new mandate from the Northampton Board of Health, anyone who visits or works at an essential business must shield their nose and mouth securely with a mask or cloth covering while on the premises. Some examples of acceptable coverings include, but are not limited to face masks, scarves, bandanas and turtlenecks. The key is that both your mouth and nose are covered.
Here is a link from CDC on Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
April 7, 2020 update:
We are re-launching our curbside pick-up service.
Consider this a soft opening! We appreciate your patience as we put in a very basic low tech system.
Please Note:
We are experiencing a high level of orders so at the point we are looking at 3-4 days before we get back you with a follow-up call!
Who can use this service?
Right now, anyone in the community with a compromised immune system, including people over 60 years old.
If I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, can I use this service?
You can certainly place an order, but we ask that you please have someone else come pick-up. According to local, state and federal health officials, people with COVID-19 should be quarantined, which means you should not be outside and interacting with others.
We also respectfully ask that if you are experiencing symptoms, for the health of our staff, you have someone else come pick up your groceries.
How do I order?
You can either click on the link below, which will take you to a Google Form you can fill out (this is the easiest for us!) or you can call the store at 413-584-2665, extension 315, or ask to be transferred to Curbside Pick Up.
Can I order Prepared Foods Items?
Yes! Here is a link to our Prepared Foods Curbside Menu.
How many items can I order?
We are asking that you order at least 5 items and no more than 25 items.
If I forget to list something, can I call and add it?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no. You can submit another order, though!
Can I order beer or wine?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no.
How do I pay for my order?
When you come to pick it up, we can accept credit, debit, ebt, check or cash. We’ll pick up your payment curbside.
When will you open this service up to anyone in the community?
As soon as we get staffed up and iron out the wrinkles. This is a new way of working for us, and we appreciate your patience. We will communicate on our website, the e-news and social media if and when we are ready!
How do I sign up for the e-news?
Please visit our home page and enter your email at the bottom of the webpage http://rivervalley.coop
As of Wednesday, March 25th, we are asking our community to avoid bringing their reusable bags to the store until the coronavirus threat has subsided.
Groceries will be packed in paper bags (with no charge) or boxes (if available) provided by the co-op.
Do you want to avoid single-use bags? You can place your groceries back in the cart as you check out, then transfer everything to your own bag when you return to your car.
New Changes to our Return Policy
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 and our inability to monitor products that have left our stores, we are declining all returns (including refunds, store credits and product exchanges) for the safety of our customers and staff.
If any fresh product does not meet your standard, was spoiled or bad before its sell-by date, we will continue to replace it or issue a refund/credit. We are simply asking that you dispose of the product and only bring us the receipt.
We hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
March 20, 2020 update:
Attention co-op owners and community members,
Over the past week, River Valley Co-op has made several sweeping changes in our store out of concern for the health and safety of all shoppers and staff. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. As always, we will gladly welcome new ideas and feedback on our efforts at any time.
To recap where we currently stand in this evolving situation, here are the actions we've taken up to this point:
- River Valley Co-op is open to everyone between 10 AM - 7 PM. We have reduced our store hours to accommodate our employee time-off needs, such as childcare relating to school closings, as well as other health and safety needs.
- For our community members 60+ and/or with compromised immune systems, our store is open at 9 AM. No doctor's note or proof of age required. We trust you to support our most at-risk community members during this hour.
- All co-op events, including owner appreciation days and our Easthampton store groundbreaking ceremony, are postponed. Reschedule dates have yet to be determined due to the nature of this pandemic.
- Our Prepared Foods Department is now packaging the Hot Bar, Salad Bar and Soups in ready-to-go containers. Our Self-Serve Hot Bar and Salad Bar are temporarily closed at this time.
- On-site dining and customer seating is no longer available.
- All employees working with unpackaged foods, including fresh produce, are wearing gloves.
- We are now prepackaging bulk foods and have eliminated our scoop and liquid bulk items to limit high-touch dispenser usage. Gloves will be provided to all customers who wish to access the gravity bins.
- Our Buying Club and Bakery special orders are suspended until further notice.
- Essential Community Service Compensation Plan for Staff
Additional paid time-off available for all employees' needs related to COVID-19 issues including illnesses, childcare or other family health concerns. Increased compensation by $2 an hour worked for all store employees.
Our top priorities remain the well-being of our employees, providing for our customers' needs and economic security for our local vendors. We are grateful for your shopping support, which enables us to meet these goals. Thank you!
We have been working diligently to secure new sources for the food and cleaning products you need while keeping up with increased demand. Additionally, we are following the news surrounding COVID-19 very closely and will continue to educate ourselves and take additional steps, if necessary.
March 18, 2020 update:
March 16, 2020 update:
In an effort to better serve our community River Valley Co-op’s store hours have been temporarily adjusted to open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. until further notice.
This will accommodate extra staff time off needs, as well as working with later deliveries and allowing staff the time needed to clean and restock for you.
While some items are in short supply, we are receiving daily deliveries from a wide range of vendors to keep the store as well-stocked as possible.
We are grateful for your support of the co-op and our vendors, many of which are local.
Effective Immediately:
- Prepared Foods is packaging out the Hot Bar and Salad Bar along with the soups as ready to go meals that will be available prepackaged in our grab and go cases. Our Self Service Coffee has been moved to be a counter service to minimize frequent customer touchpoints.
- In Produce, all employees that handle unpackaged fruits and vegetables will wear gloves. As well as removing tongs and pre-packing mushrooms, salad mix and green beans.
- There will be no Customer in-store or deck dining or seats available.
- We have eliminated scoop and tong self- service bulk options. Co-op customers will still access the gravity bins and gloves will be provided All scoop and tong accessed bulk items will be pre-packaged to the extent that we are able to do so. Liquid bulk items will be unavailable at this time to help limit high touch dispenser use in the store.
The current news about the coronavirus COVID-19 has dominated much of the news cycle over the last few weeks. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking extra precautions for the health of our shoppers and staff.
Our top priorities are our employees' well-being, serving our customers/community needs, and our local vendors' economic security. We really appreciate that our community is turning to us for support with securing the products you need at this time. This, in turn, supports our co-op and our staff. The grocery industry supply chain is having a hard time keeping up with the unanticipated nationwide increased demands for groceries and cleaning supplies. Our staff have been working hard to develop alternative sources for the products you want and working to educate ourselves and step up virus prevention measures throughout the store to help minimize the potential spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
We have been following reports from the MA Department of Health, World Health Organization, and CDC, as well as participating in special educational webinars to learn more about recommendations for employers and the food industry. The good news is we already have many food health and safety measures in place. We have taken steps to educate our staff about this virus, focused on minimizing the potential spread of virus within the store by increasing employee handwashing requirements and use of sanitizer as well as the level and frequency of sanitizing and cleaning high touch surfaces. We are also putting proactive contingency plans in place to prepare to respond further as needed. The Governor's March 10th state of emergency declaration to help bring more support and resources to the state may result in better information and guidance for all of us.
Stay tuned to this page for regular updates.
**Last Updated 5/14/20**
About the Coronavirus COVID-19
Updated May 14, 2020:
Many, many thanks for your patience and understanding these last few months! These times have been incredibly challenging for us all.
To better serve our community, we are expanding our hours as of Monday, May 18th. Our doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all shoppers every day. Please remember that we are still reserving the 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. hour for seniors and shoppers with compromised immune systems.
If it’s a physical hardship for you to stand for 10 or more minutes before entering the store let us know and we will give you priority.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding as we continue to make your safety our highest priority! As such, we are still requiring everyone entering the co-op to wear protective masks and gloves for the foreseeable future.
May 3, 2020 update:
On Sunday, May 3, the co-op will be closed in honor of Heroic Staff Day! This special paid holiday for our staff is in gratitude for the heroic work they have been doing! While our employees didn’t start the year expecting to find themselves on the front lines of a world pandemic, that is what they have been doing every day as essential community services workers—and they have done a great job!
Our employees kept the co-op going while the community was faced with the unprecedented widespread mandated shutdown of schools, businesses, and community events. Our employees kept the co-op going while our supply lines were thrown into chaos by the unprecedented demands on it. Our employees kept the co-op going every day since the COVID-19 crisis arrived in early March.
Please join us in thanking our staff for heroically rising to new challenges in their lives and work. This requires adaptation to a continual flow of unexpected practices, processes and tasks on a daily basis. We are grateful for the hard work keeping the co-op open, supporting our local vendors, and most importantly keeping each other, our customers and our community as safe as possible.
Our heroic staff is doing good work, important work—essential work—throughout this pandemic to serve our community. Thank you to all our employees for your hard work, commitment and many acts of kindness, care, generosity, courage, creativity, and teamwork!
And a huge thank you to our customers for supporting the co-op and our staff by choosing to keep your grocery shopping local. We are grateful for your kind words of appreciation, and for supporting this well deserved staff holiday on Sunday, May 3rd!
In spite of the need for social distancing, in this crisis we have strengthened how we are all stronger together.
Thank you!
April 16, 2020 update:
An important message to Co-op Owners and Customers:
Now at a time when we are all concerned about COVID-19, there is an email circulating that makes it sound like there is something new for us to worry about. This email references an ingredient in an EPA approved chemical used to disinfect our store to help protect our customers and staff. We contacted the Northampton Health Department immediately upon hearing of this and were reassured by the Director of the Department.
The Co-op has been in contact with the Health Department on a regular basis throughout this crisis. We engaged a professional commercial disinfecting company in our efforts to make the store as safe as we can for everyone.
This disinfecting product helps to greatly mitigate the risk of the spread of infections from store surfaces and grocery carts. It has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4), making it ideal for our needs. It is widely used in hospitals, nursing homes and daycare centers. It is safe to apply in retail environments, including food stores. The Enviroshield system is also used to disinfect COVID-19 positive facilities.
In the concerning email, a person claimed they had a reaction to the disinfectant. They said it created a sticky and toxic coating on their glasses, clothing, and products they purchased. They also suggested adverse impacts for personal health and HVAC equipment function. We empathize with the person’s concern. It sounds alarming. However, we cannot find any basis for these claims.
Operations management shut off the HVAC system prior to the application of the disinfectant. Afterward, they inspected the store thoroughly. There was no stickiness on any surfaces. No staff members or other customers reported any stickiness on clothing, glasses, products, keyboards, counters, shelves, door handles, etc.
The professional cleaning company that disinfected the store did so using all the same protocols and product guidelines as they have done for many other clients. This product does not off-gas any materials.
These are scary times. We are working hard every day, putting in very long hours to keep our Co-op safe and to provide you and your family with the necessary goods you need. Our team is doing extraordinary work. We feel bad that these unfounded claims have caused any concerns at a time when we are all working together to meet the real challenges of this health crisis.
Please, be safe and stay healthy.
For more information, see the following statement from JanPro, the company that we worked with.
The health and safety of our customers is our top concern. With that in mind, we are proactively taking extraordinary measures by applying advanced, non-toxic products, including the use of the EnviroShield system. This system includes cleaning and disinfecting processes followed by the application of Endure. The Endure system uses an EPA approved chemical that has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4) as do the other disinfecting products used in the EnviroShield system. Each of the products used in our EnviroShield system have been extensively tested and approved for use by the EPA in this application. The Endure product was applied several hours prior to the store being open to ensure that the treatment had settled, which typically occurs within thirty minutes. This product dries as a solid and does not “off-gas” any materials. Under these conditions, respiratory issues related to this product would not be expected. That said, many people can be sensitive to other disinfecting chemicals, including alcohols, sanitizers, or other cleaners used in this or other locations. If you would like additional information about EnviroShield and the products we use we’re happy to send you a follow-up message. Please contact us at adam.wilson@jan-pro.com Thank you.
April 15, 2020 update:
FACE MASKS ARE NOW REQUIRED
The Co-op has taken great care to monitor the evolving situation with COVID-19. We’ve adapted to the needs of our community while ensuring our in-store policies comply with any adjustments or additions to safety recommendations being put forward by local health officials. One such change concerns the use of face masks by our staff and customers.
Starting Thursday, April 16, shoppers and employees will be required to wear face coverings at all times on Co-op property. Under a new mandate from the Northampton Board of Health, anyone who visits or works at an essential business must shield their nose and mouth securely with a mask or cloth covering while on the premises. Some examples of acceptable coverings include, but are not limited to face masks, scarves, bandanas and turtlenecks. The key is that both your mouth and nose are covered.
Here is a link from CDC on Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
April 7, 2020 update:
We are re-launching our curbside pick-up service.
Consider this a soft opening! We appreciate your patience as we put in a very basic low tech system.
Please Note:
We are experiencing a high level of orders so at the point we are looking at 3-4 days before we get back you with a follow-up call!
Who can use this service?
Right now, anyone in the community with a compromised immune system, including people over 60 years old.
If I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, can I use this service?
You can certainly place an order, but we ask that you please have someone else come pick-up. According to local, state and federal health officials, people with COVID-19 should be quarantined, which means you should not be outside and interacting with others.
We also respectfully ask that if you are experiencing symptoms, for the health of our staff, you have someone else come pick up your groceries.
How do I order?
You can either click on the link below, which will take you to a Google Form you can fill out (this is the easiest for us!) or you can call the store at 413-584-2665, extension 315, or ask to be transferred to Curbside Pick Up.
Can I order Prepared Foods Items?
Yes! Here is a link to our Prepared Foods Curbside Menu.
How many items can I order?
We are asking that you order at least 5 items and no more than 25 items.
If I forget to list something, can I call and add it?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no. You can submit another order, though!
Can I order beer or wine?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no.
How do I pay for my order?
When you come to pick it up, we can accept credit, debit, ebt, check or cash. We’ll pick up your payment curbside.
When will you open this service up to anyone in the community?
As soon as we get staffed up and iron out the wrinkles. This is a new way of working for us, and we appreciate your patience. We will communicate on our website, the e-news and social media if and when we are ready!
How do I sign up for the e-news?
Please visit our home page and enter your email at the bottom of the webpage http://rivervalley.coop
As of Wednesday, March 25th, we are asking our community to avoid bringing their reusable bags to the store until the coronavirus threat has subsided.
Groceries will be packed in paper bags (with no charge) or boxes (if available) provided by the co-op.
Do you want to avoid single-use bags? You can place your groceries back in the cart as you check out, then transfer everything to your own bag when you return to your car.
New Changes to our Return Policy
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 and our inability to monitor products that have left our stores, we are declining all returns (including refunds, store credits and product exchanges) for the safety of our customers and staff.
If any fresh product does not meet your standard, was spoiled or bad before its sell-by date, we will continue to replace it or issue a refund/credit. We are simply asking that you dispose of the product and only bring us the receipt.
We hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
March 20, 2020 update:
Attention co-op owners and community members,
Over the past week, River Valley Co-op has made several sweeping changes in our store out of concern for the health and safety of all shoppers and staff. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. As always, we will gladly welcome new ideas and feedback on our efforts at any time.
To recap where we currently stand in this evolving situation, here are the actions we've taken up to this point:
- River Valley Co-op is open to everyone between 10 AM - 7 PM. We have reduced our store hours to accommodate our employee time-off needs, such as childcare relating to school closings, as well as other health and safety needs.
- For our community members 60+ and/or with compromised immune systems, our store is open at 9 AM. No doctor's note or proof of age required. We trust you to support our most at-risk community members during this hour.
- All co-op events, including owner appreciation days and our Easthampton store groundbreaking ceremony, are postponed. Reschedule dates have yet to be determined due to the nature of this pandemic.
- Our Prepared Foods Department is now packaging the Hot Bar, Salad Bar and Soups in ready-to-go containers. Our Self-Serve Hot Bar and Salad Bar are temporarily closed at this time.
- On-site dining and customer seating is no longer available.
- All employees working with unpackaged foods, including fresh produce, are wearing gloves.
- We are now prepackaging bulk foods and have eliminated our scoop and liquid bulk items to limit high-touch dispenser usage. Gloves will be provided to all customers who wish to access the gravity bins.
- Our Buying Club and Bakery special orders are suspended until further notice.
- Essential Community Service Compensation Plan for Staff
Additional paid time-off available for all employees' needs related to COVID-19 issues including illnesses, childcare or other family health concerns. Increased compensation by $2 an hour worked for all store employees.
Our top priorities remain the well-being of our employees, providing for our customers' needs and economic security for our local vendors. We are grateful for your shopping support, which enables us to meet these goals. Thank you!
We have been working diligently to secure new sources for the food and cleaning products you need while keeping up with increased demand. Additionally, we are following the news surrounding COVID-19 very closely and will continue to educate ourselves and take additional steps, if necessary.
March 18, 2020 update:
March 16, 2020 update:
In an effort to better serve our community River Valley Co-op’s store hours have been temporarily adjusted to open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. until further notice.
This will accommodate extra staff time off needs, as well as working with later deliveries and allowing staff the time needed to clean and restock for you.
While some items are in short supply, we are receiving daily deliveries from a wide range of vendors to keep the store as well-stocked as possible.
We are grateful for your support of the co-op and our vendors, many of which are local.
Effective Immediately:
- Prepared Foods is packaging out the Hot Bar and Salad Bar along with the soups as ready to go meals that will be available prepackaged in our grab and go cases. Our Self Service Coffee has been moved to be a counter service to minimize frequent customer touchpoints.
- In Produce, all employees that handle unpackaged fruits and vegetables will wear gloves. As well as removing tongs and pre-packing mushrooms, salad mix and green beans.
- There will be no Customer in-store or deck dining or seats available.
- We have eliminated scoop and tong self- service bulk options. Co-op customers will still access the gravity bins and gloves will be provided All scoop and tong accessed bulk items will be pre-packaged to the extent that we are able to do so. Liquid bulk items will be unavailable at this time to help limit high touch dispenser use in the store.
The current news about the coronavirus COVID-19 has dominated much of the news cycle over the last few weeks. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking extra precautions for the health of our shoppers and staff.
Our top priorities are our employees' well-being, serving our customers/community needs, and our local vendors' economic security. We really appreciate that our community is turning to us for support with securing the products you need at this time. This, in turn, supports our co-op and our staff. The grocery industry supply chain is having a hard time keeping up with the unanticipated nationwide increased demands for groceries and cleaning supplies. Our staff have been working hard to develop alternative sources for the products you want and working to educate ourselves and step up virus prevention measures throughout the store to help minimize the potential spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
We have been following reports from the MA Department of Health, World Health Organization, and CDC, as well as participating in special educational webinars to learn more about recommendations for employers and the food industry. The good news is we already have many food health and safety measures in place. We have taken steps to educate our staff about this virus, focused on minimizing the potential spread of virus within the store by increasing employee handwashing requirements and use of sanitizer as well as the level and frequency of sanitizing and cleaning high touch surfaces. We are also putting proactive contingency plans in place to prepare to respond further as needed. The Governor's March 10th state of emergency declaration to help bring more support and resources to the state may result in better information and guidance for all of us.
Stay tuned to this page for regular updates.
**Last Updated 5/14/20**
About the Coronavirus COVID-19
Updated May 31, 2020:
Updated May 14, 2020:
Many, many thanks for your patience and understanding these last few months! These times have been incredibly challenging for us all.
To better serve our community, we are expanding our hours as of Monday, May 18th. Our doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all shoppers every day. Please remember that we are still reserving the 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. hour for seniors and shoppers with compromised immune systems.
If it’s a physical hardship for you to stand for 10 or more minutes before entering the store let us know and we will give you priority.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding as we continue to make your safety our highest priority! As such, we are still requiring everyone entering the co-op to wear protective masks and gloves for the foreseeable future.
May 3, 2020 update:
On Sunday, May 3, the co-op will be closed in honor of Heroic Staff Day! This special paid holiday for our staff is in gratitude for the heroic work they have been doing! While our employees didn’t start the year expecting to find themselves on the front lines of a world pandemic, that is what they have been doing every day as essential community services workers—and they have done a great job!
Our employees kept the co-op going while the community was faced with the unprecedented widespread mandated shutdown of schools, businesses, and community events. Our employees kept the co-op going while our supply lines were thrown into chaos by the unprecedented demands on it. Our employees kept the co-op going every day since the COVID-19 crisis arrived in early March.
Please join us in thanking our staff for heroically rising to new challenges in their lives and work. This requires adaptation to a continual flow of unexpected practices, processes and tasks on a daily basis. We are grateful for the hard work keeping the co-op open, supporting our local vendors, and most importantly keeping each other, our customers and our community as safe as possible.
Our heroic staff is doing good work, important work—essential work—throughout this pandemic to serve our community. Thank you to all our employees for your hard work, commitment and many acts of kindness, care, generosity, courage, creativity, and teamwork!
And a huge thank you to our customers for supporting the co-op and our staff by choosing to keep your grocery shopping local. We are grateful for your kind words of appreciation, and for supporting this well deserved staff holiday on Sunday, May 3rd!
In spite of the need for social distancing, in this crisis we have strengthened how we are all stronger together.
Thank you!
April 16, 2020 update:
An important message to Co-op Owners and Customers:
Now at a time when we are all concerned about COVID-19, there is an email circulating that makes it sound like there is something new for us to worry about. This email references an ingredient in an EPA approved chemical used to disinfect our store to help protect our customers and staff. We contacted the Northampton Health Department immediately upon hearing of this and were reassured by the Director of the Department.
The Co-op has been in contact with the Health Department on a regular basis throughout this crisis. We engaged a professional commercial disinfecting company in our efforts to make the store as safe as we can for everyone.
This disinfecting product helps to greatly mitigate the risk of the spread of infections from store surfaces and grocery carts. It has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4), making it ideal for our needs. It is widely used in hospitals, nursing homes and daycare centers. It is safe to apply in retail environments, including food stores. The Enviroshield system is also used to disinfect COVID-19 positive facilities.
In the concerning email, a person claimed they had a reaction to the disinfectant. They said it created a sticky and toxic coating on their glasses, clothing, and products they purchased. They also suggested adverse impacts for personal health and HVAC equipment function. We empathize with the person’s concern. It sounds alarming. However, we cannot find any basis for these claims.
Operations management shut off the HVAC system prior to the application of the disinfectant. Afterward, they inspected the store thoroughly. There was no stickiness on any surfaces. No staff members or other customers reported any stickiness on clothing, glasses, products, keyboards, counters, shelves, door handles, etc.
The professional cleaning company that disinfected the store did so using all the same protocols and product guidelines as they have done for many other clients. This product does not off-gas any materials.
These are scary times. We are working hard every day, putting in very long hours to keep our Co-op safe and to provide you and your family with the necessary goods you need. Our team is doing extraordinary work. We feel bad that these unfounded claims have caused any concerns at a time when we are all working together to meet the real challenges of this health crisis.
Please, be safe and stay healthy.
For more information, see the following statement from JanPro, the company that we worked with.
The health and safety of our customers is our top concern. With that in mind, we are proactively taking extraordinary measures by applying advanced, non-toxic products, including the use of the EnviroShield system. This system includes cleaning and disinfecting processes followed by the application of Endure. The Endure system uses an EPA approved chemical that has the highest safety rating given by the EPA (category 4) as do the other disinfecting products used in the EnviroShield system. Each of the products used in our EnviroShield system have been extensively tested and approved for use by the EPA in this application. The Endure product was applied several hours prior to the store being open to ensure that the treatment had settled, which typically occurs within thirty minutes. This product dries as a solid and does not “off-gas” any materials. Under these conditions, respiratory issues related to this product would not be expected. That said, many people can be sensitive to other disinfecting chemicals, including alcohols, sanitizers, or other cleaners used in this or other locations. If you would like additional information about EnviroShield and the products we use we’re happy to send you a follow-up message. Please contact us at adam.wilson@jan-pro.com Thank you.
April 15, 2020 update:
FACE MASKS ARE NOW REQUIRED
The Co-op has taken great care to monitor the evolving situation with COVID-19. We’ve adapted to the needs of our community while ensuring our in-store policies comply with any adjustments or additions to safety recommendations being put forward by local health officials. One such change concerns the use of face masks by our staff and customers.
Starting Thursday, April 16, shoppers and employees will be required to wear face coverings at all times on Co-op property. Under a new mandate from the Northampton Board of Health, anyone who visits or works at an essential business must shield their nose and mouth securely with a mask or cloth covering while on the premises. Some examples of acceptable coverings include, but are not limited to face masks, scarves, bandanas and turtlenecks. The key is that both your mouth and nose are covered.
Here is a link from CDC on Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
April 7, 2020 update:
We are re-launching our curbside pick-up service.
Consider this a soft opening! We appreciate your patience as we put in a very basic low tech system.
Please Note:
We are experiencing a high level of orders so at the point we are looking at 3-4 days before we get back you with a follow-up call!
Who can use this service?
Right now, anyone in the community with a compromised immune system, including people over 60 years old.
If I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, can I use this service?
You can certainly place an order, but we ask that you please have someone else come pick-up. According to local, state and federal health officials, people with COVID-19 should be quarantined, which means you should not be outside and interacting with others.
We also respectfully ask that if you are experiencing symptoms, for the health of our staff, you have someone else come pick up your groceries.
How do I order?
You can either click on the link below, which will take you to a Google Form you can fill out (this is the easiest for us!) or you can call the store at 413-584-2665, extension 315, or ask to be transferred to Curbside Pick Up.
Can I order Prepared Foods Items?
Yes! Here is a link to our Prepared Foods Curbside Menu.
How many items can I order?
We are asking that you order at least 5 items and no more than 25 items.
If I forget to list something, can I call and add it?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no. You can submit another order, though!
Can I order beer or wine?
So sorry, but at this time, the answer is no.
How do I pay for my order?
When you come to pick it up, we can accept credit, debit, ebt, check or cash. We’ll pick up your payment curbside.
When will you open this service up to anyone in the community?
As soon as we get staffed up and iron out the wrinkles. This is a new way of working for us, and we appreciate your patience. We will communicate on our website, the e-news and social media if and when we are ready!
How do I sign up for the e-news?
Please visit our home page and enter your email at the bottom of the webpage http://rivervalley.coop
As of Wednesday, March 25th, we are asking our community to avoid bringing their reusable bags to the store until the coronavirus threat has subsided.
Groceries will be packed in paper bags (with no charge) or boxes (if available) provided by the co-op.
Do you want to avoid single-use bags? You can place your groceries back in the cart as you check out, then transfer everything to your own bag when you return to your car.
New Changes to our Return Policy
Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 and our inability to monitor products that have left our stores, we are declining all returns (including refunds, store credits and product exchanges) for the safety of our customers and staff.
If any fresh product does not meet your standard, was spoiled or bad before its sell-by date, we will continue to replace it or issue a refund/credit. We are simply asking that you dispose of the product and only bring us the receipt.
We hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
March 20, 2020 update:
Attention co-op owners and community members,
Over the past week, River Valley Co-op has made several sweeping changes in our store out of concern for the health and safety of all shoppers and staff. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and we hope the steps we've taken will continue to aid and benefit our community as we work together to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. As always, we will gladly welcome new ideas and feedback on our efforts at any time.
To recap where we currently stand in this evolving situation, here are the actions we've taken up to this point:
- River Valley Co-op is open to everyone between 10 AM - 7 PM. We have reduced our store hours to accommodate our employee time-off needs, such as childcare relating to school closings, as well as other health and safety needs.
- For our community members 60+ and/or with compromised immune systems, our store is open at 9 AM. No doctor's note or proof of age required. We trust you to support our most at-risk community members during this hour.
- All co-op events, including owner appreciation days and our Easthampton store groundbreaking ceremony, are postponed. Reschedule dates have yet to be determined due to the nature of this pandemic.
- Our Prepared Foods Department is now packaging the Hot Bar, Salad Bar and Soups in ready-to-go containers. Our Self-Serve Hot Bar and Salad Bar are temporarily closed at this time.
- On-site dining and customer seating is no longer available.
- All employees working with unpackaged foods, including fresh produce, are wearing gloves.
- We are now prepackaging bulk foods and have eliminated our scoop and liquid bulk items to limit high-touch dispenser usage. Gloves will be provided to all customers who wish to access the gravity bins.
- Our Buying Club and Bakery special orders are suspended until further notice.
- Essential Community Service Compensation Plan for Staff
Additional paid time-off available for all employees' needs related to COVID-19 issues including illnesses, childcare or other family health concerns. Increased compensation by $2 an hour worked for all store employees.
Our top priorities remain the well-being of our employees, providing for our customers' needs and economic security for our local vendors. We are grateful for your shopping support, which enables us to meet these goals. Thank you!
We have been working diligently to secure new sources for the food and cleaning products you need while keeping up with increased demand. Additionally, we are following the news surrounding COVID-19 very closely and will continue to educate ourselves and take additional steps, if necessary.
March 18, 2020 update:
March 16, 2020 update:
In an effort to better serve our community River Valley Co-op’s store hours have been temporarily adjusted to open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. until further notice.
This will accommodate extra staff time off needs, as well as working with later deliveries and allowing staff the time needed to clean and restock for you.
While some items are in short supply, we are receiving daily deliveries from a wide range of vendors to keep the store as well-stocked as possible.
We are grateful for your support of the co-op and our vendors, many of which are local.
Effective Immediately:
- Prepared Foods is packaging out the Hot Bar and Salad Bar along with the soups as ready to go meals that will be available prepackaged in our grab and go cases. Our Self Service Coffee has been moved to be a counter service to minimize frequent customer touchpoints.
- In Produce, all employees that handle unpackaged fruits and vegetables will wear gloves. As well as removing tongs and pre-packing mushrooms, salad mix and green beans.
- There will be no Customer in-store or deck dining or seats available.
- We have eliminated scoop and tong self- service bulk options. Co-op customers will still access the gravity bins and gloves will be provided All scoop and tong accessed bulk items will be pre-packaged to the extent that we are able to do so. Liquid bulk items will be unavailable at this time to help limit high touch dispenser use in the store.
The current news about the coronavirus COVID-19 has dominated much of the news cycle over the last few weeks. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking extra precautions for the health of our shoppers and staff.
Our top priorities are our employees' well-being, serving our customers/community needs, and our local vendors' economic security. We really appreciate that our community is turning to us for support with securing the products you need at this time. This, in turn, supports our co-op and our staff. The grocery industry supply chain is having a hard time keeping up with the unanticipated nationwide increased demands for groceries and cleaning supplies. Our staff have been working hard to develop alternative sources for the products you want and working to educate ourselves and step up virus prevention measures throughout the store to help minimize the potential spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
We have been following reports from the MA Department of Health, World Health Organization, and CDC, as well as participating in special educational webinars to learn more about recommendations for employers and the food industry. The good news is we already have many food health and safety measures in place. We have taken steps to educate our staff about this virus, focused on minimizing the potential spread of virus within the store by increasing employee handwashing requirements and use of sanitizer as well as the level and frequency of sanitizing and cleaning high touch surfaces. We are also putting proactive contingency plans in place to prepare to respond further as needed. The Governor's March 10th state of emergency declaration to help bring more support and resources to the state may result in better information and guidance for all of us.
Stay tuned to this page for regular updates.
**Last Updated 5/14/20**
What Actually Happens If You Get Coronavirus?
We've found this video very helpful in understanding more about the virus and how it works. Somehow it seems comforting to know more and we found this video makes the information very accessible.
About the Cornonavirus COVID-19
The coronavirus COVID-19 is a new respiratory virus that originated recently in Wuhan, China. The virus causes mild to severe respiratory illness. It is contagious and has led to fatalities in some severe cases. Individuals in higher risk categories with compromised immune systems are more likely to develop severe cases. It is transmitted through coughing and sneezing of infected individuals. At the present time, there is no vaccine, cure or specific treatment.
The good news is that most people that get the virus recover from it within a few weeks. However, the risk of severe illness is a serious community health matter. By taking responsibility as a local business and as individuals for doing what we can to disrupt the spread of this virus, we help support keeping everyone in our community safer.
About the Co-op’s Response
We have many procedures already in place to help protect the safety of our employees and customers—procedures we rely on to reduce the spread of foodborne illness and seasonal colds and flu every year. Learn more below.
Food Sampling and Educational Demonstrations
Out of an abundance of caution, we are discontinuing our Food Sampling and Educational Demonstrations at this time.
Postponed Co-op Events
Due to growing concerns regarding the Coronavirus / COVID-19 and health risks related to public events, we are postponing Owner Appreciation Days, Groundbreaking Ceremony and Workshops until the COVID Virus threats subsides. While this decision comes at a time of uncertainty, our priority is the safety and health of our employees and the community.
Supplies
We know you’re hearing stories about grocery stores running out of food, hand sanitizers, and household needs as consumers stock up on the essentials. One of our strengths is we source from multiple suppliers and don’t pull from a central warehouse. Therefore we have multiple avenues for securing products even when there are gaps in availability. However, the national supply chain was not prepared for this sudden increased demand and we too find ourselves short of certain products. As our staff work to secure alternative suppliers and products we appreciate your patience on temporary shortages of certain products.
Employee Benefits and Sick Time
More than 85 percent of co-op employees work full-time, with industry-leading benefits. This is in direct contrast to many large food retailers, which are staffed primarily by part-time employees without benefits. River Valley Co-op provides paid time off to our part time workers as well full time workers.
Why does this make a difference? Employees without benefits come to work sick. They can’t afford to stay home.
River Valley Co-op encourages sick employees to stay home to reduce the spread of illness and in cases when needed, we require it.
The Virus and Food
According to the Harvard Health Blog, it’s not clear if the virus can spread through food. Even if so, it would be highly unlikely. Regardless, health officials cannot absolutely rule out the possibility of transmission from infected food handlers.
Food Safety at the Co-op
Our employees must follow a strict set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) when handling and producing food. SOPs include detailed directives on hand washing, the use of hand sanitizers, controlling temperature and time for specific foods like plant and animal proteins and information on preventing foodborne illness and the spread of infection.
Staff in our Meat, Seafood, Cheese and Prepared Foods department receive ServSafe® Food Handler training, and our managers and other key employees are ServSafe® certified in active managerial control. ServSafe® is a highly regarded food-safety training program administered by the U.S. National Restaurant Association.
Liesel, our Store Manager, is a ServSafe® certified instructor. No employee works in the co-op's prepared foods or fresh departments without training on how to handle the products properly and safely.
Work with Us
We ask all of our customers and employees to partner with us in this. No matter how many food-safety and virus protection protocols we may have in place, we can't effectively do this alone. We need your support to help fight the spread of this virus as well. WHO has great advice here on how to be responsible in order to protect yourself—and by extension your community—from the virus.
How Can I Protect Myself
Because there is currently no vaccine to prevent infection, the best way to protect yourself is to avoid being exposed to this virus as much as possible. Most people that get the virus will recover within a few weeks.The risk of severe cases is higher for those with compromised immune systems and the elderly. By protecting ourselves as much as possible we are helping protect everyone in our community and workplace.
To review some key ways to protect yourself include:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, scrubbing the soap in for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Refrain from handshakes and high fives, try an elbow bump instead or wave.
- Exercise good hygiene.
- Limit activities that could lead to potential exposure.
- Use good nutrition to keep your immune system strong as well as getting rest and exercise.
Trustworthy Resources
The internet is full of misinformation, and social media channels thrive on hyperbolic language. One of the best things you can do is to stay informed with accurate information. We suggest the following, recommended by Harvard Medical School:
- CDC
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Health Organization Mythbusters Page
- Medline Plus (A service from the U.S. National Library of Medicine)
For regular news, trust sources with deep, award-winning health reporting. We suggest:
Additional sources of information are available here:
- City of Northampton Health Department https://www.northamptonma.gov/245/Health
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital https://www.cooleydickinson.org/2020/03/coronavirus-q-a/
- Baystate Health System https://www.baystatehealth.org/covid19
Learn More
More thoughts or questions? Reach out anytime. Call us at (413) 584-2665 or email askursula@rivervalley.coop