• Ursula Abrams, whose Board term just completed, spoke of “the fantastic, unique, amazing opportunity of serving on the Board. It’s really been a great honor. I’ve learned so much.”
• MOs lauded the Suggestion Box, the commitment to remain in an urban area, and the gardens maintained by Member-Owners and staff: “Just beautiful and a real treat this time of year.”
• Jesse Frayne, manager of Honest Weight’s Empire State Plaza (ESP) satellite location, was “thankful that MOs help us out with weekly hours,” citing numerous current openings for customer service and food prep.
Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Community Newsletter for Membership • Staff • Governance • Management
Published monthly by the Communications Committee to promote transparency, report without bias, and sustain community.
• Saul Rigberg expressed appreciation for “a Co-op that has persisted for 5 decades, striving to achieve our values and provide healthy food,” adding that this month marks the 50th anniversary of its founding.
Membership Votes Five to Board of Directors
239
MOs attended HWFC’s April 26 remote Regular Membership Meeting! Thanks to all participants.
Please note: data recorded from “non-confidential” votes by phone or Survey Monkey were used only for April’s election/voting/vote-counting and will not be “data-mined” or used for future purposes.
Voting results:
Vote 1: Food & Product Manual (FPM)
Should we approve proposed FPM changes? Total number of ballots cast on this resolution: 178 Of these ballots: 105 approved the resolution; 52 rejected the resolution; 21 preferred not to vote on this issue. The resolution was approved by 59% of the Members casting ballots and passed.
Vote 2: Election for Board of Directors Seats 180 valid ballots were cast; a candidate must achieve at least 25% of the votes cast in order to be elected.
Thanks to all for your willingness to serve the HWFC community! See p. 8 for more details.
With deep appreciation, we acknowledge outgoing directors Wendy Hord and Ursula Abrams for fulfilling their commitment to Honest Weight by completing their term of service on the Board of Directors. Chris Johnson also completed a 3-year term on the Board—thank you Chris!—and has now been reelected to the Board.
We also acknowledge and thank Kristin Fischetti for her hard work and time contributed during her Board term. Finally, a special thank you to Hilary Yeager, who was appointed to the Board in November 2025
Open Discussion
“Is it time to expand the Board more fully?” Currently, Bylaws allow only 3 paid employees to serve on the Board. Board member Yevette Buddeau explained that a Bylaw— not the Board itself—stipulates the number. Formerly, no limits existed until a Bylaw was approved for 2 (later increased to 3) staff, so it is not a Board directive. If sufficient interest inspires Membership to revise Bylaws, anyone can petition the Membership or request that the Board or GRC recommend a vote to the Membership.
Committee presentations
SLRP’s Elaine Hills described a “4-pronged approach,” seeking input for the Co-op’s long-term goals from MOs/Owners and
continued on page 6
and served as Board Treasurer. The Finance Committee has done great work under Hilary’s direction and we are all grateful for her efforts and contributions.
Thank you to all who joined us and helped to make this meeting a success!
Questions? Contact the Board Administrator at boardadmin@honestweight.coop.
In Partnership and Affinity, Honest Weight Food Co-op Board of Directors
Meet Our Neighbor: Up-Stitch Thrift Store Keeps Fabric, Yarn Out of Landfills
by Robin D. Schatz
In June 2026, Up-Stitch, a thrift store catering to the fiber arts community, will celebrate its first year at its new location at 28 Essex Street, directly across the street from Honest Weight Food Co-op. If you attended last summer’s Repair Café, you might have seen Up-Stitch volunteers seated behind their sewing machines, industriously mending and hemming clothing for participants.
The nonprofit “creative reuse organization” was cofounded in 2017 by knitter Maggie Erlich and sewist Megan Stasi with a simple but compelling mission: to keep fabric, yarn, and related supplies out of landfills, and to provide reasonably priced goods to the local community of makers.
“We were both aware there’s no good way to recycle crafting material. People just throw it away,” said Megan, whose day job is teaching art.
Inspired by a creative reuse venture in Ithaca, New York, the duo decided to give it a go in the Capital Region, starting with a popup site at the Albany Art Room, then graduating to a permanent space there. Since their June
2025 move to Essex Street, weekly sales have multiplied—which, Megan said, may be due in part to the closure of Jo-Ann Fabrics, which left a void in the community of makers in search of affordable materials.
Unlike most thrift stores, everything sold at Up-Stitch is pre-owned but not used. Often, donations come from people trying to reduce stashes, and in some cases, from people leaving behind materials due to illness, relocation, change in interests, or death. This business model means knitters, crocheters, quilters, and other fiber artists can get yarn and fabric in pristine condition, mostly priced at least 50% less than retail. Up-Stitch also aims to build community through classes, workshops, and stitching circles. The thrift store provides an accessible entry point for beginner crafters who aren’t ready to make a big investment in supplies.
That’s not all that Up-Stitch does: “We give a lot of supplies away,” said Megan. Beneficiaries of the nonprofit’s generosity include teachers, theater groups, and people making goods for charity—hats and mittens for the unhoused and beds for dogs at shelters.
From time to time, Up-Stitch assembles small quantities of fabric and yarn into free “community bundles,” which include instructions for a small project like a hat or pillowcase. Crafters can either donate items to a worthy cause or bring them back to the store, so Up-Stitch can contribute them to a community organization.
On a recent afternoon, Katherine Murray popped into Up-Stitch during her lunch hour and filled a basket with an array of colorful yarn. She didn’t have a particular project in mind but figured her acquisitions will join her “yarn museum.” “I kind of buy it for the vibes,” she said. “The prices are incredible. It’s a nice place to get good finds.”
That same afternoon, I scored a skein of cashmere-yak hand-dyed yarn from an expensive yarn company—usually $46—for just $15. It will make a cozy hat for winter.
Besides yarn for knitters and crocheters, there is fabric in all forms: full bolts, neatly stacked piles, and “fat quarters” for quilting. You can find notions like buttons, zippers, knitting needles, sewing thread, embroidery floss, and even an occasional sewing machine or spinning wheel. You can also find beads, books, and patterns for sale. As with any thrift store, stock turns over frequently; the good stuff doesn’t sit around for long.
Up-Stitch operates with an army of volunteers who sort and price merchandise, check out customers, and replenish shelves. Quilter Joan Johnson, retired from her career as an academic services specialist at Empire State College, has volunteered at Up-Stitch since 2019. One perk attracting volunteers is first dibs on new donations.
“We have no idea what’s going to come in at any time,” Megan said. “It’s like a treasure hunt for customers.”
Up-Stitch is open Wednesdays 10am–1pm, Saturdays 1–4 pm, and on second Sundays monthly from 1–4pm. For information on making donations, obtaining free supplies for charity projects, or volunteering, visit their website: https://www.up-stitch.com
May 2026 Honest Slate
Meet Valerie Onifade: Membership Program Administrative Assistant
by Irene Kim
Valerie Onifade started working as the assistant to the Membership Manager in November 2025.
Providing administrative functions related to Member Services, she works with many different constituencies, handling myriad duties. On a typical day, she answers phone calls, emails, and in-person requests from MOs to troubleshoot any issues they may have with their discounts or accounts. She also answers and forwards Co-op mail inquiries to the correct departments.
When Member-Owners fill out discount-request and missed punch forms at the service desk, Valerie makes changes to the accounts and confirms via email. She interacts with department managers to understand their needs for Member-Owner support. In a related duty, she updates the webpage with opportunities for MO time investment and New Owner orientations.
Collaborating with the Marketing Department, Valerie helps coordinate education and outreach events and creates materials to support department outreach for Member-Owners. To assist with maintaining Membership communications, she develops and sends a Co-op Connections newsletter to MOs to make them aware of weekly happenings and opportunities. In addition, she updates the Governance board near the registers and stocks paper copies of the newsletter in the café for people who don’t have digital access.
Valerie works with MOs who provide administrative support to Member Services. She offers key aid allowing them to best fulfill their duties, which includes keeping up with daily communication and scheduling, as well as taking on their duties in their absence.
She also provides administrative support to the folks who offer programs for Member-Owners, like the Cooperative Leadership Manager (CLM), who hosts monthly Coffee with the CLM sessions; Cara Benson, who hosts our Book Club on the third
Thursday of every odd month; the Board, for requests such as the Governance Potluck in April; and committees, for requests such as tabling.
Last but not least, Valerie provides administrative functions to the Membership Manager, as assigned.
Valerie says she enjoys fulfilling the many responsibilities of her position, which necessitates juggling “a lot of moving parts coming from all differ-ent directions.” As with most aspects of Honest Weight, there are busy times, relatively slow times, and super-busy times. The period around Membership Meetings is particularly busy. Overall, though, she says her various tasks stay fairly steady from week to week.
Membership Manager Karen Roth added: "The Board of Directors increased the Membership Program Administrative Assistant job to a 40-hour per week position based on the Membership Program's needs.
Did you know?
•Can others shop using your Owner #? If you cannot shop due to illness, you can make arrangements for someone else to use your Owner number by letting Member Services know so that they can program it correctly for cashiers to use.
•Your Member-Owner voting rights are linked directly to your earned discount percentage, not solely to the hours you have accumulated in your bank. So, if you lowered your discount to 2% or have put your account “on hold,” then you are ineligible to vote regardless of your banked hours. You must have used some banked hours and received an 8% or 24% discount in order to vote.
• Be the Change has raised $281,730 for area organizations since 2021, donating $61,181 in 2025 alone. 2026 recipients include Sunhee’s Community Place & RISSE (May) and Albany Voices of Pride & In Our Own Voices (June).
This allowed us to attract highly qualified candidates to fill this challenging position. Valerie's background included working in a program managing volunteers that worked with the public which seemed a good fit with our Member-Owner program at the HWFC.
Valerie has made many improvements in how our department is organized. She has a great capacity to seek out the information she needs from the many systems and individuals that work together to make our program work and is moving us along to the goal of having standard procedure documents available for the numerous task involved in keeping track of Member-Owner data.
Valerie is a true asset to our Member-Owner Program." needs and getting MO’s to fill spots!”--Membership Manager Karen Roth.
What sets HWFC apart?
Bulk • Local • Fair Trade • Community
At April 26’s Regular Membership Meeting, CLM Peter Waldmann presented a graphic from the National Co+op Grocers network demonstrating that Honest Weight Food Coop is currently outperforming all other co-ops in the industry.
We operate with a triple bottom line: People • Planet • Profit
• We recycle approximately 18,000 pounds of cardboard each month.
• We save between 13,000 and 16,000 pounds of food waste from going into landfills each month through our partnership with a composting company, Empire Zero.
• Cull produce is available free to Member-Owners and is donated, along with cull bread, to food pantries whenever possible.
• Are you from the Capital Region? I’m almost 40 and have lived my whole life in the Capital Region. I was born and raised in Troy, but I’ve been stumbling my way through first-time homeownership in East Greenbush for the last seven years.
• What is your field? I’m a business systems analyst at the New York State Tax Department, which means I get to play on computers all day and identify ways for them to keep doing what they do, only better. I’m just trying to climb the corporate ladder!
• How long have you belonged to HWFC? My girlfriend has been an MO investing time in the Bulk Department for much longer than me. I’ve been a longtime shopper; I joined and started earning hours about four years ago. The Bulk Department is what drew me to the Co-op in the first place; it’s still my favorite thing she’s introduced me to!
• Do you invest time elsewhere? I’d love to start teaching at the Co-op. I’m currently writing a lesson plan to teach a class in the kitchen on making your own New York–style, lacto-fermented sour dill pickles. Shout-out to [Education and Engagement Specialist] Sarah Rosenthal of the Marketing Department for getting my idea off the ground. Kir-
Honest Slate
Meet Matt DeBonis, Bulk Department MO
by cucumbers will come into season in June or early July, so pickling season will be here before you know it. More info will be coming soon; I can’t wait!
• When do you invest time? We both invest time on Mondays after work, from about 4:30 until we get too tired, which is usually 6:30 or 7pm. That comes out to more than 10 hours per month; it gives us a nice bank of hours so if one of us doesn’t make it one week, we won’t lose our 24% discount.
“Bulk is what drew me to the Co-op in the first place.”
• What are the most fun or unusual typical duties? I like to stock the dry goods, like beans and rice, in the gravity bins. Before investing time at the Co-op, I had no idea there were so many different types of rice. The fun part is hearing a customer talk about an ingredient that’s new to me, then getting to buy some at a discount to try for myself; it’s an endless learning experience. It also feels
good to do some active lifting after spending all day behind a desk; it’s great exercise.
I always enjoy hearing our customers’ plans for bulk goods they’re picking up. Are they hosting a big holiday dinner? Resurrecting an old family recipe? Across all cultures, food is a uniting force; I love being a part of that universal element.
• What are some of your favorite products? Rice, whole-bean coffee, and loose-leaf teas. We carry a big enough variety that I can drink something different every week and not get bored. I also love coconut date rolls and dry-roasted fava beans for a unique snack.
You may have noticed that we’ve been promoting racks stocked with printed recipe cards featuring bulk ingredients with some great ideas.
Call for Bulk Recipes!
Another idea I’m trying to implement is collecting recipes from you, our wonderful fellow Co-op Owners! If you have any recipes featuring bulk ingredients that you’re willing to share, please email MatthewWildman@honestweight.coop.
Potato Crusted Pesto Egg Bake
Potato Crusted Pesto Egg Bake
Ingredients
Potato Crust
2.5 lbs russet potatoes (4 large potatoes)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 beaten egg white
Filling
15 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 16-oz. carton cottage cheese
Think of this recipe as a template for creativity. It works equally well for a crowd or as a food prep item and easy to freeze in portions. Swap vegetables and herbs listed for what’s in season or what’s on hand; pair with a salad and a good loaf of bread for an easy brunch. Serves 12.
Grate potatoes; place in a colander with salt. Massage salt into potatoes, place colander over a bowl, and let sit for 20.’ Squeeze water from potatoes using your hands then place potatoes in a dish cloth and squeeze out as much remaining liquid as possible.
6 c. greens (baby spinach/kale or Swiss chard)
Olive oil for sautéing
1 lb cherry tomatoes
¼ cup pesto (store bought or homemade)
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 425º.
Grease a 9 x 12–inch Pyrex or casserole dish. Cover bottom and sides evenly with grated potatoes. Brush with melted butter and bake for ~25.’ Top should be slightly brown. Remove from oven, brush with beaten egg white, and place back in oven for ~3.’ Egg white creates a barrier to keep filling from making the potatoes soggy.
Prep the filling while potatoes are draining/ baking: Cut cherry tomatoes in quarters widthwise, place in a colander with a sprinkle of salt, and set aside.
Heat olive oil in large skillet; sauté greens until wilted. Let cool, remove from pan, squeeze out any liquid, and roughly chop.
Beat eggs and cottage cheese. Add pesto and grated cheese. Add sautéed greens. Squeeze out liquid from cherry tomatoes and add to mixture. Give a good stir, pour into casserole, and even out with a spatula.
Turn oven down to 350º and bake for ~45.’ The top should be slightly brown and internal temp should be about 180º.
Place on wire rack; let cool for 20’ before slicing. Tip: Make sure you have removed as much moisture from vegetables as possible to avoid a soggy egg bake.
—Nina Martinson
Q & A Q & A SUGGESTION BOX
Suggestion Box answers are provided by our Honest Weight managers and departments.
Kudos Corner
Q: Lauren, superb service!
A: Thank you.
Q: Mary E. in Food Service. Excellent service. Thank you!
A: Thank you for noticing. Compliments are always welcome.
Q: Ashley (cashier) is such a delight! If every cashier offered her level of service, we would triple our business!!!
Q: I ALWAYS look for Ashley. She’s so sweet!
A: We’re so pleased to have Ashley with us. Thank you for noticing! We appreciate the compliment.
Q: Music.
A: We have an awesome group called Music Jam. They meet on 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 1–3 and L♥VE when they have listeners join!
Q: The Co-op just read a book about the plastic problem, yet you have plastic-wrapped tea bags! Even Panera has stopped that. Studies show microplastics are a big result of plastic-wrapped tea bags. Why? There are other ways.
A: Thank you for pointing this out. We are aware, as is our tea bag supplier.
Q: Please try to figure out how to make it possible to either: bring your own container for soup from Deli or provide reusable bowls for soup. I don’t like throwing containers away every week!
A: The main reason we cannot do this is cross-contamination control. We cannot verify if an outside bowl is clean and sanitized. It could introduce bacteria to the food area and utensils.
Q: Please use wax paper instead of plastic wrap for sandwiches.
A: Thank you for the suggestion. At this time, we plan to keep the plastic wrap for freshness and to prevent leaks.
Q: I’ve been enjoying the $4.99 snack cakes/ fruit breads. Lately, however, every choice is augmented with additional sugar: either sprinkled on top → or yucky icing → or more chocolate chips than banana in the banana bread. Please stop sugaring every snack bread. I don’t want kids to grow up thinking every bread is candy. L
A: Thank you for feedback! We appreciate hearing from customers about what they are looking for. We try to offer a wide variety of quick breads to meet the preferences of everyone. We rotate styles throughout the week and seasonally. You will see loaves that are more traditional as well as the sweeter varieties in the future.
Q: Carbonaut [GF low-carb bread]. Where the heck are they?!
A: Used to be in Bread. Now in the freezer at the back end of the aisle near Cheese.
Q: The Berkshire Bakery spelt loaf sells out in a day or less. Can we please stock more! A: We recently requested they add more to our Wednesday delivery. If it’s still insufficient, please write again.
Q: Big Picture Foods wild foraged capers!? Fantastic grocery/specialty.
A: We carried Big Picture Foods in the past and it did not sell enough to try again at this time.
Q: Please bring back single-serving low-fat milk. (You used to carry Byrne Dairy.) Now there’s just whole milk chocolate—too much fat and sugar.
A: This is not available to us. We can only get whole milk in this size.
Q: Can we get Lundberg black (forbidden) rice from the USA. (The one we sell is Chinese and not organic.)
A: Most forbidden or black rice is grown in China, such as the kind we offer.
Q: Can you carry pottery from Berkshire Potters. (Local.)
A: We carry the pottery of a local Delmar artist. The pottery is located by the Deli. At this time, we would like to continue to support our Member-Owner artisan.
Q: Can you please order more Cocoyo plain yogurt? You’re out a lot. Thx!
A: We have this on our order every day. It does sell out quickly, but we are happy to order a case of 6 for you. Special orders receive 10% off.
Q: Is it possible to get cotton produce bags with the HWFC logo and a tare weight on them? Thank you!
A: We can certainly look into this and work with the Produce and Front End managers to get more info on bringing these back. Worth considering. Thank you!
Q: Would be great to have the “I own a grocery store with some friends” pamphlet available in Spanish. Tilde Language Justice Co-op is a co-op resource for translation.
A: Yes, we have discussed offering all of our pamphlets in Spanish. The Membership pamphlet is in the process of some edits. After completion, we will look into translation. Thank you!
Q: Can we please get a pole to hold the dumpster open? It would make things easier when working alone. Thank you.
A: This is a great idea. There was a pole out there but things like that disappear after a while. The facilities manager is looking for a replacement.
Q: Please clean windows of sliding doors entrance to store. ♥
A: Cleaning the doors and windows is on the housekeeping to-do list.
Q: Sugar-free syrup for coffee drinks. Sugar-free bakery items.
A: At this time, we are not planning to expand our offerings to include additional sugar-free products. Because we already produce a wide variety of items that meet various dietary needs, we are operating at full capacity in the space we have available. Adding another line of products would require more production space than we currently have.
Honest Slate 6
B o a r d Decisions
At the May 12, 2026, HWFC Board of Directors meeting, the Board:
•Amended the May 12, 2026, Board meeting agenda by changing “discussion” to “discussion/decision” for first 3 board work agenda items in section 13 and adding an Executive Session to the agenda.
•Approved the April 7, 2026, Board of Director Meeting minutes as presented.
•Affirmed April 15, 2026, decision to change May 2026’s Board of Directors meeting date from Tues., May 5 to Tues., May 12 and to communicate that change to Membership as soon as possible.
•Affirmed April 15, 2026, decision to hire Susan Weinrich in her capacity as team builder and board retreat facilitator with a retreat date TBA early in May with the new Board.
•Assigned new Board Directors to these available Board terms: Georgia Sullivan will fill the seat with a term ending in 2027; Sandra Goldmeer will fill the seat with a term ending in 2028; Manisha Rane-Fondacaro, Chris Johnson, and Asli Koksal will fill the seats with terms ending in 2029.
•Appointed Board Officers: Yevette Buddeau, President; Chris Johnson, Vice-President; Jammella Anderson, Secretary, and Sandra Goldmeer, Treasurer.
Adjourned the meeting at 9:49 pm.
May 2026
RMM Notes & Quotes
continued from page 1
non-owner shoppers via bi-annual surveys. The committee used equipment to conduct a hybrid meeting and is working on a focus exercise for committees.
“What would your life be like if racism didn’t exist?” is a frequent listening table topic.
ARC’s Tam Kistler reported finalizing the committee work plan, preparing for a training video, and planning a pot luck. ARC submitted a small tweak to consider; Black-owned businesses are now highlighted throughout the store thanks to Phil Enriquez and Diane Stredny.
“I would like to see signage for women owned, Latina/o owned, BIPOC. Our signage should reflect all local small businesses.”
NEC’s Barbara Eckhaus presented a set of proposed Food & Product Manual changes intended to make the information more easily understandable, including a title change and revised introductory paragraph for section 7.
One MO said she really appreciates the switch in language. “I’m wondering if there is any way to gauge whether changes can in-
may
Editors & Contributors
Matt DeBonis
Stephanie Conde
Eva Glassman
Elisa Grimm
Lynn Huntington
Don Kennison
Irene Kim
Nina Martinson
Carol Ostrow
Karen Roth
Robin Schatz
Janet Sorell
2O26
honestslate@honestweight.coop Contact with questions, comments, ideas.
Submissions Policy
• Maximum article length is ~800 words.
• Material is published at the discretion of the Honest Slate team.
• Only signed work is accepted. Items are edited for length, grammar, & style.
• We may consider unsolicited material but encourage submitting ideas first.
• Letters to the Editor do not require preapproval.
volve customers and shoppers more deeply in decision making and monitoring.”
NEC co-chair Bob Ross stated that the impact for us lies in the clarification of language. “Strive to avoid” was deemed a problematic phrase. The committee doesn’t control purchasing; buyers and departments do. We also have a process in cases when ingredients change. For example, certain Better Than Bouillon flavors were removed because they contained GMOs.
“NEC is doing a great job. It should tweak more.”
An MO asked if product testing sites or research results are available so that consumers can shop more responsibly. Bob Ross cited watchdog organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Consumer Reports as resources. Additionally, a list (subject to update) is included in the FPM.
Elaine asked how NEC evaluates products of concern. How might buyers be involved in the conversation about the manual? From a shopper’s viewpoint: should we put (more) responsibility on the consumer? A chat user agreed: “It is exhausting to read every label and I do rely on the integrity of the Co-op buyers for knowing that in general the products are sound and healthful. I do not find that this change in language impacts my trust in the Co-op buyers.”
Statement of Purpose:
Honest Slate is a platform for HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance: promoting transparency, reporting news without bias, and sustaining community.
Honest Slate articles are for informational purposes and are not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Opinions expressed in Honest Slate do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Honest Slate or Honest Weight Food Co-op.
Preliminary committee reports submitted to the Board of Directors (BOD) for its May 12, 2026, meeting. See Board Meeting packet for details. Approved reports are posted on HWFC’s website.
by Stephanie Conde
Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)
∙ Sub-committee working on increasing visibility of Black-owned business at HWFC is having great success moving forward.
∙ Recommended addition to HWFC Mission Statement about anti-racism. Input is welcome from BOD, SLRP, and DEI Committee, and any other committees or individuals.
Editor’s Note: Any change to our Mission Statement or adding another Statement of Conscience requires Membership approval.
∙ Asked ARC Members to re-read Guidelines for Visiting Guests; consider onboarding future members to prep for next meeting.
∙ Received go-ahead from Karen Roth about sponsoring an evening with other Committees showing videos and having discussions about racism.
∙ Tam will meet with committees to share what ARC does and invite them to join us.
∙ Received go-ahead from Karen about good days/times for tabling.
∙ Began discussing holding in-person training on anti-racism in the future. Decided on some anti-racism videos for first training.
White Affinity Group
3rd Thursdays • 6:30–7:45pm via Zoom
This group works on eliminating racism and white supremacy. Join us to share thoughts, feelings, successes, and mistakes in a warm, friendly, and nonjudgmental atmosphere.
Contact Tam for the Zoom link at Listeningpartnerships@gmail.com
Membership Committee (MC)
∙ Discussed BOD meeting summary, noting BOD changed June RMM date from June 28 to June 21.
∙ MO Manual style & grammar changes: Informational sessions are planned for Thurs., June 18 at 5:30pm and Sun., June 14 at 12noon (MC meeting will end at noon
June 14). Janet emailed draft slides to MC on March 29. Considering a few additional readability changes to MO Manual before May MC meeting.
∙ Reminded BOD of MC April 2026 request to consider a potluck 50th celebration/ hybrid remote/in-person October RMM. Should probably decide on this by June BOD meeting to allow time for planning.
Nutrition & Education Committee (NEC)
∙ Discussed and scheduled tabling to promote FPM (Food and Product Manual) May 5 and May 19 beginning at 1:30pm.
∙ Finalized language for changes to FPM to be presented at RMM Apr. 26.
∙ Reviewed research on additional changes to FPM focusing on carrageenan and fluoride.
∙ Reported on Information Sessions regarding proposed changes to FPM.
∙ Continued to work with Marketing Dept. regarding accessing FPM on HWFC website.
Elections & Nominations Committee (ENC)
∙ Discussed new BOD members. To support more effective BOD meetings going forward, ENC recommends BOD reinstate meeting moderator to help maintain meeting flow and ensure effective meeting facilitation and time management.
∙ Discussed April RMM and BOD Election Planning. Finalized preparations for upcoming BOD election, including reviewing ballot language. Discussed questions about staff representation limits (per HWFC bylaws); confirmed that one staff member is currently running. Reviewed floor nomination procedures and vote-counting protocols. Discussed publicity efforts, particularly Meet the Candidates sessions which have seen low attendance post-COVID. Refined ballot language to clearly reflect staff representation limits: voters may select up to three staff candidates but only two may be elected as one staff member currently serves on BOD. Will continue to use previously-approved BOD language. Noted the need to check ENC group mailbox daily as submission notifications are currently only reaching one member (and being filtered to spam). Requests BOD provide update on technology solution for Co-op group mailbox issue since assigned members are not receiving messages.
Governance Review Council (GRC)
∙ Discussed and approved March GRC minutes.
∙ Report on Apr. 7 BOD meeting shared.
∙ Discussed upcoming April 2026 RMM, passage of Conflict Resolution Policy, Governance Gathering session, and project to compile HWFC documents in one place.
∙ We remind ourselves to continue to be ambassadors, not only for HWFC but also for MO participation in (seeking ideas for) articles, whether interesting MOs to interview or experiences/entities to explore.
∙ Copy for June’s Honest Slate is due May 21.
Finance Committee (FC)
∙ Discussed Operations and Financial Report.
∙ Received Management’s report on financials through March 2026.
∙ Discussed store’s gross margin. March mid-month is a physical inventory count for the entire store.
∙ Discussed margin pressure the Produce Dept. continues to face; Management is focused on the issue and will continue to work closely with the Produce team.
∙ Discussed anticipating a budget presentation from Management as they are currently deep in the budget process.
∙ Finance Dept. may hold a second, earlier May meeting to help move the budget process along.
∙ Discussed the budget process for all HWFC governance committees. An email dialogue has begun with Committee Chairs and liaisons about Committee Budgets for the next fiscal year. Our goal is to have Committees discuss their budget requests at their next scheduled meetings, which should get budget numbers back to the Finance team in time for presentation to FC. FC will not request a budget for 2026-27 Fiscal Year.
∙ Discussed Finance Training for BOD and MOs. Plan to prepare a training in next several months. Decided Dennis will lead training planning with input from other FC members.
memBer-owner
Greetings Honest Weight Community,
In April, we held 3 orientations and welcomed 36 new Owners, bringing our Coop’s Ownership (as of April 30) to 11,951; 1,012 of these folks are currently Member-Owners (as defined in our Membership Manual).
The Membership Meeting on April 26 went smoothly, thanks to cooperation from so many in our community! We seated a new Board (with 4 new folks and 1 director reelected). The meeting did run longer than expected, which can be frustrating. Please remember that despite all the technology, these meetings are still run, facilitated and attended by real human beings! Human interactions can make it difficult to be precise about timing, as hard as we try.
For those who asked for more than a 2-hour time-investment, please bring this question to the Board when they are in the process of approving the meeting notice (which must be sent out to Member-Owners 1020 days before the meeting date). Once the meeting notice is finalized and sent out, we cannot make changes to it (based on corporate law).
On June 21 we will convene for a Regular Membership Meeting (RMM) to approve the Annual Budget, so if anyone is interested in helping with any aspect of putting on these meetings or has suggestions on how to improve them, please reach out to us in Member Services.
We also approved updates to our Food and Product Manual (FPM) at April’s RMM. A fruitful collaboration between the Nutrition and Education Committee, Member Services and our Marketing team—with support from our amazing Board Administrator—now better showcases our food policy, including a fabulous new cover, which you can see on the website or in the store.
Thanks for all you do to support this community and thanks for reading Slate!
Karen and Valerie, Your Member Services Team
wanted wanted mos
Empire State Plaza (Food Court)
Seeking Member-Owners with customer service experience for fixed weekly commitments at the Empire State Plaza Cafe. Afternoon shifts are available weekdays. Email: JesseFrayne@honestweight.coop
Food Services
Seeking Member-Owners with customer service experience for fixed weekly commitments in the Food Service sampling program. Email: Danh@honestweight.coop
Meat Department
Seeking Member-Owners to provide customer service and wrap meat & fish. Experience preferred! There is a major need for weekly evening shifts, 4-7pm OR 5-8pm! There are openings every day of the week. Email: DylanGuerrette@honestweight.coop
Bulk
Seeking Member-Owners to help with sanitizing the department: cleaning bins, coolers, and other equipment. Shifts are open from 6pm until closing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Email: Phil.Enriquez@honestweight.coop, then call 518.482.2667 x 259
Plants Department
Seeking Member-Owners who are detail-oriented, excel at following directions, and have an interest in plants. Please keep in mind that there is no actual gardening done by the Plants Department; we stock plants, soils, etc. for our customers’ gardens! Those investing time in the Plants Department need to be able to lift heavy objects and stand for their full shift, no matter the weather. This is a fast-paced, labor intensive, on-your-feet position.
Email: carolsurash@honestweight.coop
Bakery
Seeking MOs for weekly shifts on Tuesdays from 6-9am. This shift helps the opening baker clean and restock the bakery case, package items for sale, tray up items, and set the bakery up for the next day.
Email: MeaghanM@honestweight.coop
HWFC’s certificate of incorporation was signed by Saul Candib, Michael Roland, Margaret Inderhees, Jaye Person, Howard Mittleman, Nancy Austin, Ruth Richman, and Sharon Goldberg.
“The 70s were a time when buying clubs without a dedicated space transitioned to co-ops with buildings. I’m sure someone has written a book about this phenomenon.”—Saul Rigberg
Board Elections
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With 5 open seats on the Board of Directors, three candidates submitted applications in advance: Chris Johnson, Sandra Goldmeer, and Manisha Rane-Fondacaro; two candidates self-nominated from the floor: Georgia Sullivan and Asli Koksal.
Chris Johnson ran for re-election following his just-ended term. He spoke of “serving and solving.” “Everyone loves [the experience], but are you willing to serve and participate in that growth process?”
Sandra Goldmeer, an Owner since 1988 and now a Member-Owner, shared about her background in the nonprofit sector. “It’s time now to give back to the organization. I love the idea of servant leadership.”
Manisha Rane-Fondacaro shared her experience volunteering and serving on boards of foundations and lauded HWFC’s great potential. She shared a few ideas about waste prevention through cull or donations.
Georgia Sullivan, longtime employee with experience in other community organizations, has served as Assistant Grocery Manager since the store’s move to Watervliet Avenue. “I feel strongly that we need more staff perspective on the Board.”
Asli Koksal hopes to bring a new international perspective on how things are done without being encumbered by discussion. Asli moved here in February; New York friends told her to find us. “I came to Honest Weight to find my people.”
