PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — October is National Co-op Month, and in the middle of it, on Saturday, Oct. 17, is Philadelphia Grocery Co-op Day.
Jon Aarons with Weaver's Way Co-op says Grocery Co-op Day was established in partnership with Mayor Jim Kenney in 2019 to encourage people to shop locally.
"Anything you can buy on Amazon, there's a great chance there's someone in Philadelphia or within a 20-30 mile radius who's making it themselves."
Aarons said small grocery stores like his are key to the expansion of many small businesses.
"A lot of small businesses get their starts in co-ops," he said.
When people spend locally, Aarons said, that money stays in the region.
"Over $12 million of profits that we make goes back to makers and producers that live in this area, which enables them to continue to keep people employed, maybe expand their business," he shared.
People are encouraged to shop locally on October 17, and even if you're not out shopping on that day, he says it's also a day to think about how you spend your money.
"It's really also just a day to reflect on what types of products you have in your household and what easily switched things you can swap out for things that are made locally," Aarons said.
"All these little things that you might have in your kitchen that are so easy to get at Target, you might be able to find from someone that makes them here and chances are, they're probably better for you too and better for the environment."