The Co-op Spirit Magazine - Fall 2017

THE HEART, THE SOUL & THE SPIRIT OF CO-OPS

FREE

INSIDE: • Giving Back at the Register • Co-ops Building Community Locally & Internationally • Great Kids Clubs • Supporting Our Environment • Co-ops Across the Country Map & Handy List www.co-opspirit.com

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TABLE of CONTENTS Note from the Editor ................................................. 3 Giving Back at the Register .....................................6, 8 Growing Healthy Kids............................................ 10,12 Pachamama Coffee Cooperative – Know Your Farmer .................................................. 13 African Market Baskets – Creating Opportunities & respecting culture.....14-16 Co-ops Caring for Basic Needs..................................... 17 Frontier Co-op – Co-op to Co-op to Co-op...................................18-20 Baskets of Africa – Supporting families & keeping traditions alive...... 21 Co-ops Supporting Our Environment........................... 22 Life as We Have Known It.....................................24, 26 Map of Co-ops across the country.............................. 28 Co-ops across the country handy list...................29, 30

ON THE COVER: Frontier Co-op CEO Tony Bedard meets with Andreas Ical Choc in his cardamom field near Cobán, Guatemala. Choc helped found the Agricola El Quetzalito Co-op in 1991. The young plants surrounding them will eventually yield seedpods to produce cardamom spice and essential oil sold under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands.

PUBLISHED BY:

Graphic Assistance by:

The Co-op Network George Keller Barnard, VT Contact At: co-opspirit.com © copyright 2017 George Keller

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Note from the Editor

Co-ops Love Their Communities!

Welcome to the 1st issue of The Co-op Spirit Magazine.

Bringing news, ideas and inspiration to co-op members and their communities.

The Co-op Spirit is promoting awareness of the many far-reaching efforts made by modern day co-ops to strengthen their local communities. The magazine will provide news, detail activities, and foster idea-sharing to boost the bonds of ‘community spirit’. Each individual store’s contribution is grouped into one of four categories. Each category centers around an important function co-ops can play in meeting the needs of today’s modern world.

We begin with donation programs which stores are using at the cash register to help members and customers pool resources together to make significant donations to local organizations. The “Round Up” and “Wooden Nickel” are simple programs with far-reaching effects!

Along with co-operative efforts to provide some of the basic physical necessities of community members, many are providing wellness -education and nutrition classes also.

On the environmental front, many co-ops are providing the necessary leadership in their communities. From offering neighborhood composting stations, providing alternative transportation support to even hosting a roof-top apiary!

Frontier Co-op, Overseas Connection, Pachamama, and Baskets of Africa show how their businesses fairly structured marketing systems help struggling international communities.

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Jade Vantresse is collecting stories about how co-ops have affected individual lives.

She shares her story with us in ‘Life As We have Known It’ and would like others to share their story by contacting her.

A National Map and condensed listing of Natural Food Co-ops across the country are included in the back of the publication.

We would like to hear from your co-op.

The website is available for stores to share information about some or all the ways they help their community. Coops are encouraged to send information about their store’s activities and other news of interest to co-op people for inclusion in the magazine and on ‘The Co-op Spirit’ website.

Co-ops can then direct their members and community to the website to view not only their community activities but also those of many other co- ops. (There is no fee for inclusion in the magazine or on the website.)

We are sending 14,000 free copies of “The Co-op Spirit” magazines to co-ops all across the country. Please support the advertisers who made this possible and send us your news items.

Co-operatively, George Keller -Editor

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G I V I N G B AC K at THE REGISTER Giving in small increments can really add up!

HELPING LOCAL FOOD BANKS Central Co-op • Seattle, WA • www.centralcoop.coop When customers check out they let the cashier know that they would like to “Round Up their grocery bill,” to the nearest dollar or more. The change will automatically be donated to the Round Up campaign for local food banks. The Foodraising Drive raised more than $10,000 in 2015.

SCHOOL OF THE MONTH Davis Food Co-op • Davis CA • www.davisfood.coop Customers can say “I’d like to Round Up,” at the register and their change will be added into a sturdy check for the school of the month. Customers can donate more by telling the cashier to Round Up to a preferred amount. This program is available to all DJUSD elementary & junior high PTAs.

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WOODEN NICKEL & TOKEN PROGRAMS 12 Local Non-Profits Benefited Basics Co-op • Janesville, WI • www.basicshealth.com Every year, Basics donates to 12 local non-profits through the Wooden Nickel Program at checkouts. Organizations are featured 3 at a time, for 3-month increments.

Coop Owners decide which 12 will be featured!

Owners vote via a survey sent out each May. Customers can pick up a wooden nickel at the register each time they shop and drop it into the collector at Customer Service for the organization of their choice.

Basics donates 5 cents for each wooden nickel.

6,400 PAPER BAGS SAVED! Orcas Food Co-op • Eastsound, WA • www.orcasfood.coop When customers bring their own grocery bags, the cashiers give them a wooden nickel which they can use to designate a 5¢ donation to the organization of their choice.

This year the chosen organizations were Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture, the Co-op’s FARM Fund, and the monthly rotating 3% Thursday organization. Last year the co-op saved over 6,400 paper bags. Little choices can add up to big change!

PEOPLE, PLANET, & ANIMALS Greenstar Cooperative • Ithaca NY • www.greenstar.coop Shoppers who bring their own bags are provided with a token worth 5¢ that they are able to donate to the non-profit of their choice. Each quarter three local non-profits are selected, which represent the categories of people, planet, and animals, to be recipients of this program. At the end of the quarter the coop makes a donation to the groups based on the amount of tokens provided by their customers.

DONATE-A- DIME La Montanita Food Co-op • Albuquerque NM • www.lamontanita.coop Every month, La Montañita sponsors a local communitybased organization through their “Donate-a-Dime” bag program.

When customers bring their own bag, they reduce their carbon footprint, and the coop donates a dime to a worthy organization! It all adds up. www.co-opspirit.com

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SALES BASED DONATIONS Sustainable FARM Fund Orca Co-op • Eastsound, WA • www.orcasfood.coop Orca’s Co-op funds and distributes a farmer grant program called the Sustainable FARM (Food, Agriculture, Relationships, & Markets) Fund. This is funded by putting aside 1¢ for every $2 spent in their produce department. In two years, they have distributed $5,000 to fund six different farmer projects on Orcas Island. This fund was conceived to “support innovative projects that strengthen and develop local, sustainable agriculture on Orcas Island”.

Orca Co-op Members with their Donation Check

ROUNDING up!

CO-OP COMMUNITY DONATION PROGRAM Natural Food Co-op • Natural Harvest Members with their Litchfield, MN • Donation Check www.naturalfood-coop.com The Co-op Community Donation Program was introduced in July 2017 as a new way for customers to participate in the co-ops commitment to giving back to the community. This simple yet powerful community giving program allows customers to “round-up” their grocery bill for recipient organizations that share the co-op’s commitment to a healthy, happy community. $42,500 RAISED Natural Harvest Food Co-op • Virginia MN • www.naturalharvest.coop The Change Within Reach round-up program gives consumers the chance to contribute to community organizations in a way that does not break the bank but cumulatively makes a huge impact to the recipient. Every month, a local non-profit organization is selected to be the recipient of all funds donated through the round-up program.

Customers donate to the program by allowing their purchase amount to be rounded up to the next highest dollar. Since the program started in April of 2014, Natural Harvest customers have raised over $42,500; in 2016 alone over $14,500 was raised.

5% DAY

OVER 1 MILLION RAISED

Moonflower Community Cooperative • Moab, UT • www.moonflower.coop Moonflower implemented 5% Days to support local organizations that help further their mission of providing socially responsible foods, goods and education in promotion of a healthy, sustainable community.

Each year, 12 local organizations are selected to which they donate 5% of sales from a single day of business. The dollar amount is donated in cash to the organization.

Seward Community Co-op • Minneapolis MN • www.seward.coop The co-ops community giving program allows customers to “roundup” their grocery or cafe bill for recipient organizations that share their commitment to a healthy community. To date, the co-op has raised nearly $1.25 million for local nonprofits through SEED.

Seward Member’s 1 Millionth Dollar Celebratration

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G ROW I N G H E A LT H Y

CHILDREN Co-ops Are Promoting Healthy Eating Programs for Kids - Open to all!

HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOL FUNDRAISER!!!

Marquette Food Co-op • Marquette MI • www.marquettefood.coop “The Marquette Food Co-op and U.P. Food Exchange — a food hub the Co-op is a core partner in — work to promote many farm to school activities. They offer presentations, food demonstrations, and procurement assistance. One of their most popular programs is an alternative fundraiser for schools, one that features only items grown, raised, or produced in the Upper Peninsula. Students sell products that support U.P. agriculture and raise money for their school at the same time – everybody wins! The Marquette Food Co-op convened the first Farm to School group in the central U.P. in 2014, and continues to serve as the chair for this growing committee.”

‘KIDS IN THE KITCHEN’ classes offered Willy Street Co-op • Madison WI • www.willystreet.coop Willy Street Co-op offers a monthly cooking class just for kids! This fun and educational class is open to the community and offers a ‘hands on’ experience for children 5-8 years old.

A Green Smoothie Demo with Local Students

Chef instructor Lily Kilfoy directs the program and offers up fun and interesting culinary themes like ‘Scrumptious Smoothies’, ‘Delicious Dips’, ‘Wonderful Wraps’ and ‘Pizza Party’ (which not only includes making a delicious personal pizza but also healthy side items like a seasonal salad and a smoothie.)

Way to go Willy Street!

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H E A LT H Y kid’s clubs

CO-OP EXPLORER’S PROGRAM Basics Co-op • Janesville WI • www.basicshealth.com The Co-op Explorer’s program is FREE and open to all kids ages 3-12. Co-op Explorers can pick up 2 Healthy Challenges each month at the Customer Service desk and turn them in for a FREE smoothie and fruit coupons!

Healthy Challenges might be activities, trivia, arts and crafts or other learning activities related to health and wellness, natural and organic foods, our environment or supporting our local farms and community. Co-op Explorers also get to choose a healthy treat or toy. from the basket at Customer Service every time they shop!

Marquette’s Fundraiser Flyer

CHEEKY MONKEY CLUB Chequamegon Food Co-op • Ashland WI • www.chequamegonfoodcoop.com The Cheeky Monkey Club is a free program for kids 12 & under. Kids who join the club choose a free apple, banana, or carrot when they visit the Co-op! The co-op’s apples and carrots come from local farmers (when available).

THE EXPLORER CLUB

Child’s ‘Vegetable Garden’ Drawing from Basics Co-op

SEND US YOUR STORY!

People’s Food Co-op • La Crosse WI • www.pfc.coop The Explorer Club issues every kid 12 and under a passport, an official card, temporary tattoo, and a free banana every time s(he) comes in the store! Sign up at customer service, flash the card, get a sticker to wear in the store, and the free banana will be in the produce department.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle to our nation’s children has become has become issue #1 for a country dealing with so many food-related illnesses and diseases.

Encourage other co-ops across the country with your store’s ventures in this area.

If you have instituted a successful program teaching and encouraging kids to eat healthy, let us know - so others can learn from and repeat the good results! Children’s pictures and artwork welcome!

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Children Participating in the Explorer Program

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PA C H A M A M A C O F F E E C O O P E R AT I V E know your farmer Pachamama is not your typical coffee roaster. We’re a Cooperative of family farmers. Pachamama is 100% owned and governed by the smallholder farmers who grow the coffee in your cup. Rather than fighting over how to maximize profits, we do what’s best for our farm families and their coffee farms. Our organic farmers are experts at what they do. They grow single origin Arabica coffee onsmall farms and harvest by hand. We import our farmers’ best coffee and roast in small batches in California.

We carefully pack and ship directly to customers throughout the United States. All profits are paid to Pachamama’s farmer-owners.

Pachamama’s five member-cooperatives are based in Ethiopia, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaraguaand Mexico.

Each cooperative has one vote on the Board of Directors. By roasting and selling their best coffee to you, our farmers have a deep interest in seeing that you love their coffee. Owning their own brand and

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roasting facility empowers coffee communities and creates a greater market incentive to invest in quality coffee, leading to a better coffee harvest next year.

To contact us, please email info@pacha.coop, or give us a call at (530) 204-7554

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AFRICAN MARKET BASKETS

creating opportunities & respecting culture

AFRICAN MARKET BASKETS™ BEGAN OVER 30 YEARS AGO IN A BASEMENT IN NEW YORK. TODAY, AFRICAN MARKET BASKETS™ (AMB) IMPORTS 150,000 BASKETS PER YEAR AND SUPPLIES JUST SHY OF 1,400 SMALL BUSINESSES, MARKETS AND CO-OPS NATIONWIDE. Fresh out of college, African Market Baskets™ (AMB) founder and CEO, Steve Karowe, traveled to southern Africa and has been importing from Africa ever since. The focus these days is on Ghana. The villages around Bolgatanga specifically. For the past 15 years, AMB has worked directly with artisans in Bolgatanga and helps support over 1,000 weavers and their families. Bolgatanga is the largest town in the Upper East region of northern Ghana, about 20 miles south of the Burkina Faso border and very close to the edge of the Sahara Desert.

The sun roasts the villages of northern Ghana year round, except during the 2-3 months of rainy season when it rains, rains, rains. The people living there are traditionally farmers and herdsman, but with the climate farming is very difficult. The local women supplement the family income by weaving the baskets we refer to as Bolga baskets which are hand-woven using locally-grown straw.

Bolgatanga is known as the crafts center of the Upper East region. Bolgatanga and its surrounding villages also comprise the largest producers of straw baskets, and basket weaving has helped bring much needed income to the population. The traditional skill which has been handed down from generation to generation provides employment to approximately 10,000 people in the region, mostly women.

An average of two baskets a week can be woven by a woman who also has household chores, firewood collection, water collection, washing and the care of her children to tend to each day.

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feedback and listens to concerns and needs. He works with each weaver’s group to ensure that products are being made to the highest quality and design standards. In 2006, Karowe formed Every Basket Helps™, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) created to help manage humanitarian projects in the villages of Ghana. He personally oversees Every Basket Helps™ goodwill projects and donates a percentage of AMB profits every year to ensure its success.

Every Basket Helps™ projects include: • Providing basic school supplies for the weavers’ children • Organizing and funding health care for the weavers and their families • Funding and building a community weaving center that serves four villages and over 400 weavers • The goal of reducing poverty Karowe is currently applying for American-based 501(c)3 status so that in 2018 donations to Every Basket Helps™ will be tax deductible.

Karowe’s business beliefs strongly follow Fair Trade practices and by working to those standards, AMB makes sure that the weavers are happy with concontinued pg 16

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African Market Baskets - continued from pg 14

• Promote Fair Trade

ditions and wages. In doing so, strong bonds have been formed as Karowe and AMB have worked with many of the same people for over a decade.

• Pay Promptly and Fairly

Ensuring that the weavers are satisfied is top importance to Karowe who makes it his business to see that they have comfortable working conditions and fair wages. Prices are negotiated by first asking what the artisans want to charge for a particular item. If their price is workable, it is always accepted. If the price is too high, he explains what price he can pay and asks if the weaver can produce it for that price and still make a profit. He regularly pays much of the money in advance of receiving goods in order to help the weavers with cash flow and he always does his best to make sure they are happy with the final price.

• Ensure the Rights of Children

In all business dealings African Market Baskets™ follows Fair Trade Federation principles: • Create Opportunities for Economicaly and Socialy Marginalized Producers • Develop Transparent and Accountable Relationships • Building Capacity

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• Support Safe and Empowering Working Conditions • Cultivate Environmental Stewardship • Respect Cultural Identity African Market Baskets™ is a member of the Fair Trade Federation. AMB is also a member of Green America and supports its mission to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace —to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

If nothing else, know that African Market Baskets™ strives to be known for three things: Quality, Value, and Integrity based on dialogue, transparency, and respect.

African Market Baskets is a division of The Overseas Connection, Ltd., located in Nederland, Colorado.

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CO-OPS CARING for BASIC NEEDS Co-ops Helping Their Neighbors GIVING TO FOSTER KIDS Holiday Giving Tree La Montanita Food Co-op • NM • www.lamontanita.coop Whatever holiday you celebrate or don’t, it’s nice to have a time of the year which is particularly focused on giving to charities and non-profits.

Here is one co-op’s idea to give to Foster Children. Through the Holiday Giving Tree program the holiday wishes of approximately 600 children in protective custody and foster care become a reality. Over the years, members and shoppers, staff and child advocates from participating agencies have, through this program, provided for the needs of thousands of children.

Sustainably grown and harvested trees go up by December 1 and ornaments are placed on the trees with the name, age and a holiday wish for each child.The ornaments are placed on the gifts when left at the co-op for distribution.

Member Tending to Olympia’s Free Store

FREE STORE

Olympia Food Co-op • Olympia WA • www.olympiafood.coop It began as a large wooden box in front of the Westside Co-op where folks dropped off clothing for folks in need. As the need and donations increased, working members teamed up with staff to create the Free Store, now fully attended and organized with racks for clothing, drawers for pants, shelves for books and kitchen ware. You can walk up and take anything you want – actually the more you take, the better, as donations get turned away from lack of space.

SENIOR DINNER South Royalton Co-op • S. Royalton Food Co-op, VT • www.soromarket.com The co-op pays for a meal once a month at the Royalton Area Senior Center. Senior Center staff and volunteers prepare the meal but the Market covers the cost.

About 35 people typically come to the meal. The Senior Center director often schedules live music or another activity on that day.

FREE WELLNESS CLASSES

La Montanita’s Gift Donation Display

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Moonflower Co-op • Moab UT • www.moonflower.coop Moonflower sponsors free wellness classes for the community every month, led by local experts in herbalism, movement therapy and other wellness specialties.

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Co-op to Co-op to Co-op to Co-op Frontier Co-op’s efforts to continue in the spirit of cooperation have brought amazing You can feel good about buying Frontier Co-op spices from your local co-op — not just for the high quality standards focused on flavor and chemical-free production methods, but also for the commitment to the co-op spirit.

Frontier Co-op makes herbs, spices, extracts, bulk ingredients and essential oils (under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia labels), selling its products through co-ops and other stores across the country for 40 years.

It also works with growers organized as co-ops whenever possible. If you’re keeping score, we’re talking about many co- op to co-op to co-op situations.

But wait, there’s more!

Consider the cases of organic cardamom and allspice, grown by farmer co-ops in Guatemala, a country where farming co-ops have thrived for decades. Many of the farmer co-ops there 18

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are focused intently on their crops and need help running the business side of things — as well as support for health care, dental care and other employee services. That’s where FEDECOVERA comes in, a co-op that provides important services to 41 independent grower co-ops based in and around the central city of Coban. In addition to helping grower families with basic needs, this co-op works with Frontier Co-op and many other companies around the world to help growers get their products to market. So, back to the score... now we’re talking about a co-op to coop to co-op to co-op situation!

Through its Well Earth sustainable sourcing program, Frontier recently helped FEDECOVERA expand dental services for its co-op growers. They donated about $50,000 to expand a clinic, purchase new equipment and help facilcontinued pg 20

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Frontier Co-op - continued from pg 14

itate the addition of a new dentist on staff. The clinic services 25,000 people (growers and their families).

The farmers who grow cardamom and allspice for FEDECOVERA (and Frontier Co-op) are mostly indigenous Mayan (Q’eqchi’) people who don’t have easy access to medical and dental facilities. Using sustainable farming methods handed down for generations, they grow many crops, including coffee, tea, cloves and bananas, often in harmony on the same land at the same time.

(Top) Ribbon cutting ceremony forFEDECOVERA’s new dental services building in Coban, Guatemala.

(Left) One of 2 new dental chairs provided for in part

by Frontier’s Well Earth program.

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Frontier’s support for the dental clinic in Guatemala, along with fair pricing and all the other benefits of their Well Earth program, not only “gives back” to hardworking farmers, it also creates a relationship with the growers that helps maintain the high quality of their organic cardamom and allspice. We have formed a true co-op partnership with them that they honor by providing us with their best crops.

Fairness and integrity from the field to your kitchen – the co-op spirit can go a long way.

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BASKETS OF Africa Thulisile Nsele lives in Zululand, South Africa. She is a subsistence farmer, meaning her family grows crops and livestock for themselves. During breaks from farming duties Thulisile is also a prominent weaver of Ilala Palm baskets known as Ukhambas.

Her designs are modern and lively zig-zags with warm reds and cool gray colors mixed in with the traditional brown and white palette for these natural baskets. She has been sending her work to Baskets of Africa for years, and her baskets continue to be very popular. Like Thulisile, most of the weavers represented by Baskets of Africa are women and are subsistence farmers. By weaving baskets on the side, these women not only help to support their families, but they also keep the weaving tradition alive.

Baskets of Africa is a Fair Trade company dedicated to serving weavers and their families in Africa. Having been a member of the Fair Trade Federation for 15 years, Baskets of Africa has a long track record of putting weavers in Africa first by paying them sustainable living wages for their creations. Being able to earn cash income for their baskets is a life changing experience for these rural women. They are able to use the money from weaving to support their children’s education, to buy extra food if their crops fail, to get organic fertilizer for their fields to increase crop yield, buy water storage tanks, or buy

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chickens which they can use to barter eggs for other things they need. Baskets of Africa believes that the weavers should be paid the highest possible prices for their baskets so that the money they earn can be spent as they see fit. Because Baskets of Africa pays the weavers so well and has long-term relationships with groups throughout Africa, the producers supply them with their highest quality baskets and crafts. more can be found at Baskets of Africa, including baskets for decorating, hand woven textiles, traditional masks, pottery, Shona stone carvings, and handmade jewelry. Explore the collection at BasketsOfAfrica.com. Supporting Fair Trade is a simple and powerful statement.

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CO-OPS SUPPORTING our ENVIRONMENT Co-ops Leading The Way In Building a Healthy Environment ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION Three Rivers Co-op • Knoxville, TN • www.threeriversmarket.coop Bike Fix-It Station The Co-op has a bike fix-it station with everything needed for minor repairs and airing up tires, courtesy of local, independent, nearby bike shop Tennessee Valley Bikes.

Shop and Ride Program Three Rivers Market is located on two bus routes and is the only grocery store in Knoxville that participates in the Shop and Ride Program, offering a free bus ticket to all customers who make a purchase of $10 or more. We also nourish a healthier environment with an Alternative Commuting benefit, which pays Employees for each day they walk, bike, carpool, or take the bus to and from work.

COMMUNITY COMPOST STATION Oryana Community Cooperative • Traverse City MI • www.oryana.coop The co-op hosts a composting bin which is open to the neighborhood as well as owners and shoppers of Oryana. Twice per year they screen the finished compost and give it away to the community.

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ROOF - TOP Apiary Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op • St Paul MN • www.msmarket.coop The Beez Kneez, a Twin Cities’ pollinator advocacy organization and honey producer, establishes and maintains honey bee hives throughout Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They carry out this effort by partnering with various local restaurants, museums, food co-ops, schools and urban farms who serve as urban apiary host sites. Earlier this year, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op reached out to the Beez Kneez to inquire about serving as a host site. They jumped at the opportunity!

In early May, The Beez Kneez installed honey bee hives on the rooftop of Mississippi Market’s West 7th store. As a natural foods grocery store, they recognize the crucial role that bees and other pollinators play in producing healthful, nutritious food. Their West 7th store is an ideal location as it’s close to the Mississippi River bluffs in St. Paul – a source of reliable water and pollen for the bees. This food co-op is excited to be playing a small part in local efforts to revitalize beneficial pollinator populations, especially since bees serve such a crucial role in feeding the world. Honey produced in the co-op’s rooftop hives is jarred and sold at their stores through a wholesale deal with The Beez Kneez. It doesn’t get much more local than that! www.co-opspirit.com

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Life as We Have Known It The beginning of a modern-day collection of stories about how co-ops move people.

by Jade Vantreese

A job at a food co-op may be a summer job for you or, a co-op might provide for you a satisfying lifetime career. In reflecting on the seven and a half years at our food co-op, a customer insightfully noted that I have “grown up” at the co-op. And it is true.

way I hadn’t been able to before. With my new job at the co-op, I started my journey towards self-sufficiency and independence. I was able to purchase a reliable vehicle, move into my own apartment and provide nutritious food for my daughter.

I was a young mother. While many of my peers were surpassing my educational and job experience, I was raising my daughter. Far from family and friends, I had limited transportation and support. Trying to make ends meet, I became isolated and depressed. With young motherhood and poverty, I was struggling to find the difference between selflessness and self-deprivation.

Living as a young, single parent was hard. Separation from my daughter’s father was difficult. Co-workers at the co-op made the difference in encouraging my personal growth and providing a support system during this time of transition.

When I attended the food co-op hiring-day screening in 2009, I was thankfully hired on.

Although it was hard being away from my baby, I was able to support her in a 24

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But it didn’t stop there. With my co-op income I was able to get a two-bedroom low- income land trust home for the two of us. When I was accepted to the university, the co- op was flexible enough with my schedule to allow me to go to school part-time while also managing a full-time job. continued pg 26

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Life as we have known it - continued from pg 24

I have now moved on from the food coop after more seven years. I am pursuing my personal goals in strengthening local food systems, working at a farmers cooperative food hub, and starting my master’s degree. The decision to leave the food co-op was a bittersweet choice, and one I did not take lightly. I cannot express the gratitude I have for such an organization that lifted me up from all sides — emotionally, socially, financially, intellectually — even when I was at my lowest.

Needless to say, I benefited greatly from my time at our local food co-op. My initial job there was no less than a lifeline of support for me. I was able to get out of an unhealthy relationship and become financially independent. And I was not just making a living, but thriving from it.

What is truly amazing is that my story is not unique. I am sure many individuals who have worked in the co-op sector

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can relate to my story. Cooperatives do this for people — they are catalyst organizations that believe in people enough to take a chance on them.

Cooperatives empower people to come together and to take control of not only their lives but of their communities. I think there is an emotional aspect of cooperatives that sets co- ops apart from traditional business models.

Cooperatives build support from the ground up — a ground swell, a grassroots, a shift in the tide. These are stories of communities, and the individuals within those communities, changed because of a co-op.

Note: This article is inspired by the collection of letters received by Margaret Llewelyn Davies, which later became the book she edited, Life as We have Know It

by Co-operative Working Women, published in 1931.

The new book project, Life as We Have Known It is a modern-day collection of stories about how co-ops move people. If you would like to submit your story, email lifeaswehaveknownit@gmail.com.

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Map of Co-ops across the country

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Alphabetical Listing of Co-ops across the country

4th Street Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . NY Abundance Cooperative Market . . . NY Adamant Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VT Alberta Co-op Grocery . . . . . . . . . . .OR All Things Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MA Alternative Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . RI Arcata Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CA Arena Market & Café . . . . . . . . . . . . CA Ashland Food Cooperative . . . . . . . OR Astoria Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . . . OR Baker Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OR Basics Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Bay Ridge Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NY Belfast Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ME Berkshire Co-op Market . . . . . . . . . . MA Bethesda Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MD Bexley Natural Market . . . . . . . . . . . OH Big Hollow Food Cp-op . . . . . . . . . . WY Bisbee Food Coop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AZ Bloomingfoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN Blue Hill Co-op Comm. Market . . . . ME Bluff Country Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Boise Consumer Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . ID Brattleboro Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . VT Bread & Roses Food . . . . . . . . . . . . FL Breadroot Natural Foods Co-op . . . SD BriarPatch Co-op Nat Mkt . . . . . . . . CA Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op . . . . . . VT Bushwick Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NY Cambridge Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NY Carbondale Community Co-op . . . . CO Central City Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TX Central Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Chatham Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . NC Chatham Real Food Mkt Co-op . . . NY Chequamegon Food Co-op . . . . . . . WI Chico Natural Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . CA City Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN City Market - Onion River . . . . . . . . . VT Clayton Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . NY Clintonville Community Mkt . . . . . . OH Columbus Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . IN Common Ground Food Co-op . . . . . IL Common Market Co-op . . . . . . . . . MD Community Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NY Community Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . WA Community Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . MT Community Market Sebastopol . . . . CA Community Mercantile . . . . . . . . . . . KS Company Shops Market . . . . . . . . . NC Concord Cooperative Market . . . . . NH

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Cook County Whole Food Coop . . . MN Co-op Community Market . . . . . . . . NH Co-op Food Store of WRJ, VT . . . . . VT Co-opportunity Consumer Co-op . . CA Coos Head Food Store . . . . . . . . . . OR Corners of the Mouth Nat Food . . . CA Countryside Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MN CreekSide Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PA Cross Timbers Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . TX Crow Wing Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . MN Daily Groceries Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . GA Davis Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CA Deep Roots Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . NC Dill Pickle Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . IL Dixon Cooperative Market . . . . . . . . NM Dorchester Community Food Co-op . MA Doylestown Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . PA Durango Natural Foods . . . . . . . . . . CO Durham Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NC East Aurora Cooperative Market . . NY East End Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . PA East Warren Community Mkt . . . . . . VT Eastside Food Cooperative . . . . . . MN Eats Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . . VA Elwood Hometown Cooperative . . . NE Eureka Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CA Ever’man Natural Foods Co-op . . . . FL Everybody’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Fairbanks Community Co-op . . . . . . AK Fare Share Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ME Ferry Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Fertile Underground . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RI Fiddleheads Nat Foods Co-op . . . . CT Finland Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . . MN First Alternative Nat Co-op . . . . . . . OR Flatbush Food Cooperative . . . . . . NY Food Conspiracy Co-op . . . . . . . . . . AZ Food Front Cooperative Groc . . . . . OR Fort Collins Food Coop . . . . . . . . . . CO Franklin Community Co-op . . . . . . . MA French Broad Food Co-op . . . . . . . . NC Friendly City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VA Gardiner Food Co-op & Café . . . . . ME George Street Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . NJ Glens Falls Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . NY Glut Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MD Good Earth Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . MN Good Earth Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . MT Good Foods Market & Cafe . . . . . . KY Good Tern Nat Foods Co-op . . . . . ME Goodside Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . WI

Grain Train Natural Foods Groc . . . . MI Granary Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Grassroots Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Great Basin Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . NV Great River Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . NM Greenbelt Consumer Co-op . . . . . . MD Greene Hill Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NY Greenstar Cooperative Market . . . . NY GreenTree Cooperative Grocery . . . MI Growers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OR Grygla Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Hampden Park Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . MN Hanover Co-op Food Store . . . . . . NH Harmony Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . MN Harvest Co-op Markets . . . . . . . . . . MA Harvest Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Harvest Moon Nat Food Co-op . . . . MN Healthy Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . VA Hendersonville Comm Co-op . . . . . NC High Falls Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . NY High Plains Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . CO Hillsdale Family Food Co-op . . . . . . MI Homegrown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FL Honest Weight Food Co-op . . . . . . NY Honey Creek Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Huajatollas Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . CO Hub City Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . SC Hunger Mountain Co-op . . . . . . . . . . VT Hungry Hollow Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . NY Idaho’s Bounty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ID In Good Taste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NJ Iowa Food Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . IA Isla Vista Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . CA Island City Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . WI Just Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Just Local Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Kearsarge Cooperative Grocery . . . NH Kensington Community Food Co-op . PA Kent Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . OH Keweenaw Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . MI Kickapoo Exchange Food Coop . . . . WI Kitsap Community Food Co-op . . . WA Kokua Market Nat Foods Co-op . . . . HI La Montanita Food Co-op . . . . . . . . NM Lakewinds Natural Foods . . . . . . . . MN Lebanon Co-op Food Store . . . . . . NH Lefferts Farm Food Cooperative . . . NY Leverett Village Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . MA Lexington Cooperative Market . . . . NY Life Grocery Nat Food Co-op . . . . . GA Linden Hills Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN

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Littleton Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . NH Local First Grocer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CO Los Alamos Cooperative Market . . .NM Lost River Market & Deli . . . . . . . . . . IN Lovettsville Cooperative Market . . . . VA Macomb Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . IL Main Market Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Main Street Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Mandela Foods Cooperative . . . . . CA Maple City Mkt Nat Food Co-op . . . . IN Mariposa Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PA Market Street Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . ME Marsh River Cooperative . . . . . . . . ME Marquette Food Coop . . . . . . . . . . . . MI Maryland Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . MD Massachusetts Local Food . . . . . . . MA Medford Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . OR Menomonie Market Food Co-op . . . . WI Middlebury Natural Foods Coop . . . . VT Minnesota Street Market . . . . . . . . . MN Mississippi Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Missoula Community Co-op . . . . . . MT Mixed Nuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MA Mohawk Harvest Co-op Mkt . . . . . . NY MOMS Food Co-op dba . . . . . . . . . MN Monadnack Community . . . . . . . . . . NH Montavilla Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . OR Moon Food Cooperative . . . . . . . . . OH Moonflower Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . UT Moscow Food Co-Op . . . . . . . . . . . . .ID Mountain Community Co-op . . . . . . WA Mountain Lakes Organic Co-op . . . . . NJ Mountain People’s Co-op . . . . . . . . CO Mountain Peoples Market . . . . . . . . WV Mountain View Market . . . . . . . . . . . NM Natural Abundance Food Co-op . . . SD Natural Alternatives Food Co-op . . . . WI Natural Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . NE Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Natural Foods Co-op of SLO . . . . . CA Natural Harvest Food Co-op . . . . . .MN Nebraska Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NE Neighborhood Co-op Grocery . . . . . IL New Leaf Mkt Nat Food Groc . . . . . . FL New Orleans Food Cooperative . . . . LA New Pioneer Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IA Newark Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . DE Niskayuna Consumers Cooperative NY North Country Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . NY North Scottsdale Organics . . . . . . . . AZ North Quabbin Food Co-op . . . . . . . MA Northern Lakes Co-operative . . . . . . WI Northwind Natural Foods Co-op . . . . MI Oak Center Gen. St Food Coop . . . MN Ocean Beach People’s Co-op . . . . CA Oceana Natural Foods Co-op . . . . .OR Oklahoma Food Cooperative . . . . . OK Olympia Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . WA

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Oneota Community Food Co-op . . . . IA Open Harvest Nat Foods Co-op . . . NE Orcas Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Oryana Food Cooperative . . . . . . . . . MI Other Avenues Co-op Food St . . . . CA Outpost Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . . WI Ozark Natural Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . AR Park Slope Food Coop . . . . . . . . . . NY PCC Natural Markets . . . . . . . . . . . WA People’s Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . OR People’s Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI People’s Food Co-op & Cafe . . . . . . MI People’s Food Co-op Kalamazoo . . . MI People’s Food Co-op, Rochester . . MN People’s Grocery Co-op . . . . . . . . . KS People’s Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MA Phoenix Earth Food Co-op . . . . . . . OH Pine River Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . WI Placerville Natural Foods Co-op . . . CA Plainfield Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VT Plum Creek Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . MN Pocatella Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ID Pogue’s Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN Pomme De Terre Food Co-op . . . . MN Port Orford Community Co-op . . . . . OR Portland Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . ME Potsdam Consumer Cooperative . . NY Prairie Roots Food Cooperative . . . ND Prairieland Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KS Purchase College Food Co-op . . . . NY Purple Porch Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN Putney Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VT Quincy Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . CA Rainbow Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . .MN Rainbow Grocery Cooperative . . . . CA Rainbow Natural Groc Co-op . . . . . MS Regent Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Rising Tide Cooperative Mkt . . . . . .ME River City Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN River Market Community Co-op . . . MN River Valley Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . MA Riverwest Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . VA Root River Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MN Rutland Area Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . VT Sacramento Natl Food Co-op . . . . . CA Saint Peter Food Co-op & Deli . . . . MN Santa Rosa Community Mkt . . . . . . CA Savannah Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . GA Sevananda Natural Foods Mkt . . . . GA Seward Coop Grocery & Deli . . . . . MN Shrewsbury Cooperative . . . . . . . . . VT Silver City Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . NM Skagit Valley Food Co-op . . . . . . . . WA Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op . . . . WA South Royalton Market . . . . . . . . . . . VT Southshire Community Market . . . . . VT Spiral Natural Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . MN

Springfield Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . VT Stevens Point Area Cooperative . . . WI Stone Valley Community Market . . . . VT Sugar Beet Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . IL Suncoast Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FL Sunseed Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . FL Sunsets West Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Suny Binghamton Co-op . . . . . . . . . NY Sussex County Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . NJ Swarthmore Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PA Syracuse Real Food Co-op . . . . . . NY Takoma Park Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . MD The Co-op Natural Foods . . . . . . . . SD The Country Coop . . . . . . . . . . . . . ME The Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA The Grain Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NC The Old Creamery Co-op . . . . . . . . MA The Share Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . NC Three Rivers Co-op Natl Foods . . . . IN Three Rivers Market . . . . . . . . . . . . TN Tidal Creek Cooperative . . . . . . . . . NC Tonasket Natural Foods Co-op . . . . WA Trillium Nat Foods Comm Co-op . . . WI Troy Community Food Co-op . . . . . NY Twin Pines Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . NY Ukiah Natural Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . CA Upper Valley Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . VT Upstate Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . SC Urban Greens Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . RI Valley Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MD Valley Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CO Valley Natural Foods Co-op . . . . . . MN Viola Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Viroqua Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Waimanalo Market Co-op . . . . . . . . . HI Weaver Street Market . . . . . . . . . . . NC Weavers Way Cooperative . . . . . . . . PA Wedge Community Co-op . . . . . . . . MN West Michigan Cooperative . . . . . . . MI Wheatsfield Grocery . . . . . . . . . . . . . IA Wheatsville Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . TX Whole Earth Grocery . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Whole Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . PA Whole Foods Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . .MN Wild Oats Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . MA Wild Root Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Willimantic Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . CT Willy Street Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Winneton Mall Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . NE Winter Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WI Wintergreen Natural Foods . . . . . . MN Woodland Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . MI Wooster Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . OH Yahara River Cooperative . . . . . . . . WI Yelm Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WA Ypsilanti Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . . . MI

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