Campus of Care Trading Post
In 2007, the company providing vending machines at Winslow Campus of Care, a long-term care facility in Arizona, imposed a five-cent increase on all items. This was steep for the fixed-income seniors who relied on the machines for special treats. In response, the Resident Council elected to boycott the machine. In 2008, the Council received an anonymous $400 check and a letter directing residents to start their own store. The Winslow Campus of Care Trading Post was born.
Wholly owned and operated by the Resident Council, workers established a standard of gifting items such as haircuts, shoes, and pre-paid gift cards to residents in need. Restocking trips occur weekly to keep up with demand. Donations from the staff and community are processed by the Resident Council. Seniors who run the store earn store credit for hours worked.
The Trading Post is committed to giving back. From 2012 to 2014, the store sponsored children in Operation Smile, a program that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft palates in third world countries. In 2014 and 2015, they sponsored a certified nursing assistant’s attendance at a national conference. Other beneficiaries include families of victims of the Yarnell Hill fire, and a nine-year-old finalist in the U.S. Track and Field Junior Olympics. When the Resident Council learned of a family’s inability to travel from a remote reservation village due to financial hardship, the Trading Post provided food and gas.
The Trading Post, now in the black and proudly posting over $1,000 in profits, was intended to provide fair pricing to seniors. Through their vision, hard work, and commitment, residents have created a sustainable program that will continue to benefit others long after the current team is gone.
—Area Agency on Aging NACOG, Arizona
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