Change for Good
2020 was the first year of the Change for Good partnership, a register round-up program to benefit a monthly slate of organizations, voted on by Co-op owners, through the cumulative donations of shoppers choosing to round-up their shopping total to the nearest dollar.
This is a recording of an informational webinar that is sharing information on our Change for Good program, the application process, and timeline.
Our Change for Good Application deadline is ๐ต:๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฝ๐บ, ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ญ๐ณ๐๐ต, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ญ.
The application can be found in the Change for Good section of our AFC Gives webpage
To learn more about AFC Gives and its funding programs, please visit ashlandfood.coop/afcgives
Here are some highlights from the webinar:
Organizations must:
โข Have documented tax-exempt status to be eligible
โข Have a Co-op member listed in the Organization or on the Board of Directors
โข Meet at least one of the AFC Gives priorities (detailed below)
โข Operate in Jackson or Josephine Counties
Featured Change for Good organizations will be required to:
โข Offer an info table at the Coop for two hours, twice per month (on hold until Covid distancing is lifted)
โข Provide marketing images and info for the Co-op's:
- Weekly Sales Flyer (pending available real estate on flyer/insert)
- Social Media posts (2)
- E-Mail Blasts (2)
- Printed Posters in Store (TBD)
- Customer Displays (at each register and a larger display on the Community Monitor above the soup bar)
โข Provide a brief explanation of the organization's mission and work (for cashiers' interactions with customers)
โข Media:
- Logo (AI or high-quality PNG)
- 4-8 photos/videos/other content to share in marketing channels.
- Any projects, stories or other information you'd like the Co-op to highlight.
- An email (and optional social media postings) to your list encouraging your supporters to round-up for Change for Good during your featured month.
For 2021, we are looking for nonprofit organizations to partner monthly with the Co-op and its owners in support of five priorities:
- ๐quity, ๐iversity, ๐nclusion - Support for organizations that specifically focus on increasing diversity, supporting equity and inclusion and educate the public on anti-racism.
- ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ - Support for housing and homelessness; providing for food, shelter, and clothing; and addressing the needs of children in or on the edge of poverty.
- ๐๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ - Support for developing climate resiliency and sustainability.
- ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ - Increasing the awareness and viability of local food producers and support for sustainable agriculture.
- ๐๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ - Highlighting the arts and cultural programs that bring awareness to the coop principles of community, equity, and sustainability.
Applications will require an explanation of how the work of your organization addresses one or more of these priorities.
More Co-op News
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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, โAnyone can shop. Anyone can join.โ But are food co-ops, and other cooperative businesses, walking the walk?
November/December GM Update: Overcoming Challenges
Itโs probably already cliche to say โitโs been one heck of a year.โ There have been challenges a-plenty for all of us, whether weโre working or shopping at the Co-op - but Iโm 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. Itโs 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 whoโve 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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