LYNCH -- Everything changed for Lynch when floods washed away chunks of the community in 2019.

"There was flooding in lower parts of town and the hospital, maybe 12 houses, it was a lot of damage in town," said Frank Paul Fischer, the President of Valley Foods Cooperative.

"The community hall served as a distribution point for food and supplies and it was nice to have all that hope but it also made it hard on the store because it was free there," Fischer said. "And then the [grocery] store closed, it took an emotional toll." 

After two years without local food, people got hungry for more.

"The closest grocery store is 15 miles away, and that's a long trip for residents who are old -- sometimes older than me," manager ("by default") David Barnes said.

"Having to go out of town for a gallon of milk was a pain," said Lynch resident Loris Holz. 

Residents reached out to the University of Nebraska Extension for help last summer to reopen their town's only grocery store. 

"We've been meeting for fourteen months on zoom meeting," Barnes said. "We did a survey to see if there was enough interest in the store and there was."

"The team meetings were largely talking about the development of a cooperative," said Jordan Rasmussen, rural prosperity extension educator. 

Shareholders said they ran into a few challenges, such as how much milk to buy, distribution fees, and shortages of canned soups and pet food. But with a little socializing and hard work, everything pulled together. 

"The key here in Lynch is the network they've developed," Rasmussen said. 

"Other communities can do it but they don't have the commitment," said Charlotte Narges, rural prosperity extension educator. 

The store hosted its grand reopening this weekend, essentially a social party within the grocery store. 

"It was really a hardship when we didn't have one, and our grocery store is wonderful," Holz said. 

Owners noted they hope this business brings in more economy with the jobs it offers. 

UNL's extension coordinators note: any community that's interested in starting a cooperative can reach out to them.