Get to know Ashland Emergency Food Bank
The sixth cooperative principle, "Concern for Community," has become even more important since the pandemic began and economies, locally and globally, started to constrict. To address this, the Board of Directors agreed in April to release 100% of patronage dividends and designate Ashland Emergency Food Bank as a donation option for those dividends - resulting in over $20,000 in donations. And with the early launch of Change for Good register round-up, AEFB was a natural choice to receive round-up donations.
Read on to learn more about AEFB from board president George Kramer, including how you can continue to support their mission.
Can you give us a brief history of AEFB? How did it start? Who are your volunteers?
Community and faith-based groups formed the Food Bank in a garage 1974 to address food insecurity as the result of the oil crisis. Over time, and multiple locations, we have grown into a daily community-owned food bank that provides free-of-charge support to about 1700 people monthly. We have two employees and rely on hundreds of volunteers, the Ashland Food Project, and the generosity of the community to make it all work.
How have things changed at AEFB since the pandemic began?
In mid-March we scrapped our traditional “shopping” model in favor of a modified “box.” This allowed us to minimize entry to a limited number of volunteers, keeping them safe, our building secure, and still provide food to clients. Over the past months we have improved on that system. Shoppers fill out a short list based on our available items and their preferences, and our volunteers pull the products and fill their box. A “Free Table” is located outside, with perishable produce and other items. Everyone must wear a mask and we sanitize in between individual shoppers, who are not permitted past the Intake/Entry Foyer.
Have you seen new, inspirational ways in which the community has stepped up to support the AEFB mission and each other?
It has been truly humbling to see the out-pouring of support for what we do, and the amazing willingness of our staff and volunteers to make near daily changes to keep our service open and functional. When the Ashland Food Project “Green Bags” were canceled, their donors sent us “Cash, not Cans” to help us purchase replacement food. We have been overwhelmed by offers of support, of time and money. We made a plea for sanitizer and a local company provide it. We asked for help building plastic guards, and a local contractor built it for us. We appreciate everything the Co-op has done to support us to help meet the community’s need.
What efforts can locals take on to improve food security or help AEFB's mission?
We are here to serve the community and our entire mission is to assure that anyone who needs food from us can get it. Unlike government supported foodbanks we rely entirely on donations but that also means that we don’t have a lot of paperwork or ask a lot of questions. If you are an Ashland or Talent resident and you need food, we will provide you with some. Being local is our only rule for service. Your readers can support us by making sure that the word gets out that we are open, that we have food, and that we are there to help anyone that asks. If you don’t need food personally, please consider supporting our efforts, either with a donation, with your time, or just telling a friend that is in need.
To learn more about Ashland Emergency Food Bank, click here to visit their website.
More Co-op News
2017 Board Election Results
We're Sustainability Stars!
Deep in our hearts we've always known we were sustainability stars, but now we have an award to prove it.
We recently received a Co+efficient Sustainability Star award from National Co-op Grocers (NCG) recognizing our positive environmental and community impacts.
Co+efficient, NCG’s sustainability program, measures social, environmental and local economic impacts from participating food co-ops across the country.
Give Where You Live
It’s the most wonderful time of year! Yes, we know that phrase is generally reserved for the holiday season. But for us, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s OUR season of giving.
Dine In and Bike Your Way to Savings
Did you know that approximately half of our landfill waste stream is composed of Deli trash? A significant part of that is “to-go” containers, which are sometimes used for dining in and don’t end up “going” very far at all.
Sustainability matters in everyday actions and we want you, our customers, to help us reduce unnecessary waste and make the most ecologically sound choices possible.
Participate in YOUR Co-op!
Spring Picks
The sun is (mostly) out and the weather is finally getting warmer. That must mean summer is right around the corner, right? We sure hope so. We’re ready to grill, soak up some sun and enjoy the many fruits and vegetables that are in season. Our Floral Coordinator, Rachel Chastain, shares some of her favorites.
Be the Sustainable Change
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Sustainability is not a new concept at the Co-op. It has always been part of our DNA. We’ve been using sustainable business practices before it was the “cool”, “responsible” thing to do. In fact, the Co-op was founded 45 years ago largely on the principles of sustainable, local organic food production as an alternative to modern industrial agriculture.
A New Look
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
For 45 years we’ve been loving local and fostering community. Throughout our almost half a century history, our identity and logo has gone through many iterations.
Some of you might remember the logo above from our newsletter in the early 1980s.
As we’ve done multiple times throughout our history, it’s time to refresh our brand and launch a beautiful, new logo to take us into the next decade.
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili is one of my favorite Co+op Basics recipes. It is full of flavor, color and shatters the myth that a healthy meal has to cost a fortune and take all day to prepare. This recipe is also a clever way to use sweet potatoes, which are not only tasty but high in fiber and vitamin A.
Looking to Save Money at the Co-op?
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
We hear from time to time that people feel the Co-op is higher priced than other stores. In the past, we may have earned this perception. But not anymore. We took a long, hard look at ourselves and we talked with other Co-ops across the country. Together, we are pooling our resources to bring you organic, household staples at everyday competitive, low prices. Welcome to Co+op Basics.
45 Years Strong
On Valentine’s Day, the Ashland Food Co-op turns 45 years old.
It’s hard to imagine we’ve been providing healthy, organic food to the Rogue Valley for almost half a century. From our humble beginnings as the Ashland Community Food Store to now a thriving Co-op with over 10,000 owners, it has been an honor to serve this community.
Let’s take a brief stroll down memory lane and see how far we’ve come in 45 years.
Saving Paper One Coupon at a Time
To further our sustainability efforts and to serve you better, we began offering Electronic Owner Coupons this month at the register.
No more forgetting to bring your owner coupons. No more waiting for your newsletter to arrive. Cashiers will simply ask if you want to use your owner coupons when you check out.
A few key points to remember:
Thank YOU For a Wonderful Year!
2016 had many notable moments. We hosted many successful family friendly events, added 150 more solar panels to our roof, and earned 25% of our sales for local products. We proudly donated over $24,000 to area nonprofits through our Community Grants program. We welcomed 482 new owners and averaged 3,500 daily transactions.
Whew! And that is just a small sample.
Give Local
The food holiday season has finally arrived. This time of year is by far our most favorite. We’ve been dreaming of gingerbread cookies, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, turkey (or tofurky if that’s your fancy) and eggnog for months.
But beyond the holiday feasts, we love this time of year for another reason. It’s the season of giving. Amidst the shopping frenzies, family gatherings, and parties, giving back often becomes an afterthought.
Happy Thanks-chicken!
We know, we know, November is all about turkey. But let us not forget the other, other white meat this holiday season. Chicken. This poultry meat often gets the spotlight, but during the month of November it is well deserved. Why? Because all month long, every time you purchase a Smart Chicken® product at the Co-op you help feed a hungry family in the Rogue Valley.
Here’s how it works: