April Change for Good Recipient: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
April's Change for Good Recipient is
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is a volunteer nonprofit organization based in Phoenix, working to inspire, connect, and educate people and communities to create and support pesticide-free pollinator habitats full of native plants. This mission will help create pollinator corridors between private properties, public spaces, wetlands, and wildlands throughout the Rogue Valley and beyond.
This Change for Good month's funds will help fund their initiative From Fire to Flowers: to distribute native pollinator plants to those who lost their homes and gardens in the Almeda Fire.
Your support will make this program a success and also help PPRV continue to inspire and educate our community about pesticide-free pollinator landscapes.
After the tragedy wrought by the Almeda Fire, there is an opportunity to grow back. From the Fire, we see Flowers.
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From Fire to Flowers project is a new initiative to distribute free native species of plants, specifically selected to support pollinators, to people who lost their homes and gardens in the recent Almeda Fire. PPRV will offer two options to fit a variety of locations: either for partial shade (Western Columbine and Bolander's Phacelia) or full sun (California Poppy and Western Verbena). These plants are well suited for growing in containers and will be perfect for a porch or balcony. Their goal is to distribute 120 pesticide-free plants in EcoForms biodegradable pots to members of the fire-impacted community who are otherwise without a garden during this time.
It is their hope that these native plants and the pollinators they will attract, will provide many reasons to smile this year and inspire many new future pollinator gardens in the Rogue Valley.
The plants and information on how to care for them all year long will be distributed in May 2021.
This project would not have been possible without the generous support of their donors and volunteers. They’d like to thank Ecoforms who donated pots made of rice hulls, Klamath Siskiyou Native Seeds for seedlings, and the Grange Co-op for donating BioLive fertilizer, potting soil, and gloves for their hard-working volunteers. And lastly, the creativity of Karin Onkka Design coupled with the hard work of Courtney Buel made all the difference!
Your support will make this program a success and also help PPRV continue to inspire and educate our community about pesticide-free pollinator landscapes.
PPRV is a local nonprofit that strives to inspire, connect, and educate people and communities to create and support pesticide-free pollinator habitats full of native plants, providing pollinator corridors between private properties, public spaces, wetlands, and wildlands throughout the Rogue Valley and beyond.
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley envisions people, communities, and landscapes all working together to support and increase healthy and thriving pollinator species everywhere.
Learn more about the From Fire to Flowers project by visiting pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org
The AFC Gives committee focuses on ways that the Co-op community can support local organizations and groups doing important work in the Rogue Valley.
2020 is the first year of Change for Good, a register round-up program to benefit a slate of ten organizations, voted on by Co-op owners, through the cumulative donations of shoppers choosing to round-up their shopping total to the nearest dollar.
From one cent to 99 cents, it all adds up to feeling good about supporting the community.
More Co-op News
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Staff Picks: Summer Hikes and Trail Snacks
Our staff loves to head outside and enjoy the gorgeous Oregon outdoors. Here's a few of their favorite trails and the Co-op snacks they like to take with them.
Be a Zero Waste Hero in Four Easy Steps
By Stephanie Koerella, Education Coordinator
Reducing our waste has continued to be of greater concern for Rogue Valley residents, especially since January, when options for recycling became even more limited. While the Ashland Food Co-op is ramping up our efforts to reduce waste as a business, there is a lot that our community can do at home to help the cause.
On the Road to Sustainability
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Forty six years ago, a group of families formed a buying club to access sustainable, local organic food as an alternative to modern industrial agriculture. This humble foundation of social and environmental responsibility started the Ashland Food Co-op and has shaped every decision we’ve ever made. It’s how, over four decades later, that a small buying club became a 30 million dollar, 17,500 square foot Certified Organic Retailer diverting 82% of their discards from the landfill.
Staff Picks: Earth Friendly Products
In celebration of Sustainability Month in April, we asked our Sustainability Committee to share their favorite eco-friendly product.
2018 Kids Summer Camps
We’ve teamed up with Rogue Valley Farm to School to offer three different camps this summer. Each week campers will dive into food production, preparation and exploration, with a mix of farm and kitchen experiences that delight the senses and inspire the soul. Join Rogue Valley Farm to School staff as they cultivate the ability to grow and cook delicious, healthy, seasonal meals. Monday - Wednesday at the Co-op Community Classroom, Thursday & Friday at the Farm at SOU.
Update on our Strategic Initiatives
By Ed Claassen, Board President
Your Board and Management Team invested a significant amount of time in 2014 developing a set of strategic initiatives that we believe are vital in shaping the future of our business and furthering our mission. We formed a Strategic Planning Steering Committee consisting of 3 Board members and 3 Management Team members to guide the implementation of these initiatives.
2018 Electronic Coupon Schedule
To further our sustainability efforts and to serve you better, we began offering Electronic Owner Coupons in January 2017 at the register.
No more forgetting to bring your owner coupons. No more waiting for your newsletter to arrive. Cashiers simply ask if you want to use your owner coupons when you check out.
As we enter our second year of Electronic Coupons we wanted to share a couple of friendly reminders and the 2018 month by month schedule.
Please note:
What Does Democracy Have to Do with Cooperatives?
By Annie Hoy, Marketing Manager
We often refer to cooperatives as “democratic enterprises.” But what does that really mean? The Ashland Food Co-op, like all other co-ops in most economic sectors, is owned and controlled by the people who use its services.
Co+op Basics: High Integrity, Low Price
Looking to stretch your grocery budget? So are we! We've lowered the price on over three hundred items to create a set of high integrity staples for every shopper. Welcome to Co+op Basics.
Co+op Basics includes over 300 pantry and household staples. From beef to milk to cereal, we’ve lowered the margin and price on all those items to make organic, healthy food accessible to every shopper.
Co+op Basics Staff Favorites
After the holidays, we usually find our pocket books a little lighter. Here are a few favorite Co+op Basics items our staff turn to when the money is a little tighter.
Proposals Sought for the 2018 Community Grants
The funding cycle for the 2018 Co-op Community Grants for nonprofit organizations is now open.
Every spring, for more than 20 years, we’ve been donating to area nonprofits through our Community Grant program. We are committed to creating healthy, sustainable communities and this program helps us fulfill that commitment by supporting the amazing work of local nonprofits. The Community Grant program is also the highlight of Cooperative Principle 7, Concern for Community, and is something we take to heart.
From the General Manager’s Desk
By Emile Amarotico
As we commence our lap around the sun in 2018, I wish to recognize the longstanding contributions of an amazing group of professionals. We are blessed with the dedication of eleven department managers expertly coordinating the daily flow of people, products and services that breath life into our Co-op!
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Lynne (35+ years’ tenure) our Grocery Manager oversees keeping the aisles abundant with shelf stable products and coolers full of fresh perishables.
The Role of the Board in Co-op Governance
By Gwyneth Bowman, Vice President
After serving on the AFC Board for fourteen years my passion for the Co-op model has strengthened my commitment to the Cooperative Principles and Values. Of special importance is how we work together as a governing body with one voice. We are the ultimate decision-makers of our Co-op and hold a trusteeship for the benefit of our owners and community.