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
A Visit with Emerald Hills
Visit the Emerald Hills Ranch and learn more about this fourth generation ranching family that the Ashland Food Co-op is so proud to partner with for more than twenty years.
A Conversation with Katie Falkenberg, Photographer and Filmmaker
Katie Falkenberg's photography and filmmaking has taken her all over the world, and lucky for us - she's been calling the Rogue Valley home for a couple years now. Exquisitely and harmoniously capturing the world around her, she is documenting not only through the lens but also through her peaceful and loving spirit. Katie reached out to us in hopes of collaborating after falling in love with the co-op soon after moving here.
March Change for Good Recipient: North Mountain Park Nature Center
March's Change for Good Recipient is
North Mountain Park Nature Center,
a division of Ashland Parks and Recreation, that encompasses demonstration gardens, a nature playground, and approximately 14 acres of Natural Area that is managed for wildlife preservation and public education.
February Change for Good Recipient: Ashland High Arts Advocates
January Change for Good Recipient: Rogue Valley Mentoring
Since 2005, Rogue Valley Mentoring (formerly the Rose Circle Mentoring Network) has trained over 500 adults who have mentored over 2,000 youth in our valley; letting young people know that they are not alone. A caring and compassionate ear shows them that they matter, and they they are experts of their own experience.
Coronavirus Preparedness at the Co-op
Update as of March 15th, 2022: Oregon Health Authority no longer requires face coverings to be worn in all public indoor settings.
Shopping Safely & Efficiently
As coronavirus cases increase in Jackson County, the Co-op is taking extra precautions to protect shoppers and employees.
To ensure social distancing in the store, the number of persons allowed in the store at once has been reduced to 50% capacity. Understandably, this may lead to a short wait outside of the store, but please be assured the line moves quickly.
In order to keep the wait as short as possible, here are a few steps you can take to help out:
10 Ways to Shine Your Light in Dark Times
By Allan Weisbard L.C.S.W.
Since 1963, autumn has been a difficult time for me. Two months shy of my 13th birthday I lost my younger brother to cancer, then shortly afterwards, President Kennedy was assassinated.
Masks Required for All In-Store Shoppers
To protect the health of Co-op staff and shoppers, all shoppers and other visitors on Ashland Food Co-op property must wear face coverings over mouth and nose except when dining in an approved area. As of November 11, 2020, face shields will not be permitted unless worn with a mask.
From the Board: Co-ops Look in the Mirror
By Annie Hoy, Board Secretary and Chair of Owner Engagement Committee
Food Co-ops around the nation proudly display signage saying EVERYONE WELCOME. Or they use the slogan, “Anyone can shop. Anyone can join.” But are food co-ops, and other cooperative businesses, walking the walk?
November/December GM Update: Overcoming Challenges
It’s probably already cliche to say “it’s been one heck of a year.” There have been challenges a-plenty for all of us, whether we’re working or shopping at the Co-op - but I’m so proud of how all of us have persevered.
End of year wrap-up on Strategic Energy Management at the Co-op
Hi there. I hope this finds you well. It’s me, Nina Friedman, Strategic Energy Management (SEM) intern for the Ashland Food Co-op. The global and local crises have only devolved into further chaos since we last spoke. As we sit with the reality of coworkers, neighbors, and friends who’ve lost their homes and businesses to the recent fires, and thousands more across the nation losing their loved ones to COVID-19, I imagine many are feeling frozen and powerless to help those that are suffering.
SNAP in the Co-op Kitchen and Thanksgiving
Use your SNAP EBT benefits for all Co-op Kitchen items through November 20th, 2020!
Recognizing the difficulties in food preparation for families who lost their homes in the local wildfires, the State of Oregon has expanded SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods, like made-to-order and hot bar meals from the Co-op Kitchen, through November 20.
And starting on November 16, you can get an early taste of Thanksgiving as the Co-op Kitchen hot bar rolls out the full Thanksgiving spread.
Black Lives Matter
We acknowledge that the Ashland Food Co-op has not had a culture where all employees and community members felt safe sharing their experiences of discrimination in our store. We apologize for this. We are on a learning journey. We have reached out for help, and are listening to our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and owners who want to be part of the positive change we seek.
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Vendors & businesses donating to relief efforts
From day one of the Almeda Fires, the Co-op team wanted to help the community. They reached out to vendors across the region and country to ask for their help with products, supplies and food to get to the fire victims.
And that help came through in big ways, getting nutritious food to displaced families, home supplies in high demand, and wellness and food for first responders and firefighters. Thank you for supporting these businesses as thanks for their help in our community's relief efforts.