Report from the Board of Directors: Strategic Plan Update
By Jeff Golden, External Relations Committee Chair
Ashland Food Co-op is striding into the future with careful intention. We’re especially focused on the three top priorities of our strategic planning process, a collaboration of our board and management team. A quick update:
- Expanding physical capacity. Purchasing the vacant 1.8 acre parcel behind Ashland Lumber on Clear Creek Drive gives us a secure option for long-term expansion near the downtown area. We also continue conversations with Umpqua Bank about the prospect of acquiring their property in order to grow our existing campus. How we develop one or both of these properties will be decided carefully over time, with plenty of opportunity for input from you, our owners
- Expanding prepared food offerings. For a year now we’ve occupied the former Deux Chats Bakery at 222 A St. There we bake an expanding line of goodies for the deli and dessert case in the main store. We’re now ramping up a line of pizza, (baked or ready-to-bake) for the deli and for “grab-and-go” in the store, and have plans for a line of sushi that meet our product standards. Stay tuned; we think that “value-added” food production, which can both respond to evolving customer tastes and habits and more fully utilize locally-grown produce, could become a major segment of AFC business in years to come.
- Expanding the co-op movement. Our passion for the value of co-ops extends beyond our own co-op. Living as we do in a community that strongly reflects cooperative values of empowerment, democracy and broad economic opportunity, we strive to encourage and nurture a growing sector of cooperatively owned businesses in Southern Oregon. We regularly explore possibilities with our Rogue Co-ops colleagues—the Medford Food Coop, Grange Co-op and Rogue Credit Union. Some are described online at www.rogue.coop and we’re preparing a competition for the best business plan for launching or expanding a cooperative business. We think we’re on the brink of a breakthrough for cooperative enterprises, and we want to help make it happen.
As an AFC owner, would you like to get involved with any of these initiatives? We’d welcome your ideas and energy. Drop a note to [email protected] to let us know how you might want to participate in building the future of your co-op.
More Co-op News
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As we enter the beautiful month of September here in Southern Oregon, we're excited to share that our Change for Good partner this month is our very own Community Fund. As many of you know, the Community Fund allows us to support amazing local projects and organizations doing great work right here in Southern Oregon.
August Change for Good - Partnering with ACCESS to Make a Difference!
We are honored to partner with ACCESS this August - a fantastic organization that has been serving our community for over four decades. ACCESS, which stands for "A Community in Action, Connecting, Empowering, and Strengthening Self-Sufficiency," is dedicated to addressing hunger, homelessness, and poverty in Southern Oregon.
Empowering Our Community: AFC's Community Grants Now Accepting Applications
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the local community, AFC is thrilled to announce the that we are accepting applications for our Community Grants program.
Ashland Food Co-op's Community Grants program is designed to foster meaningful change in the Southern Oregon region. Through these grants, we seek to support projects that align with our mission of promoting local and sustainable food systems, addressing food insecurity, and promoting community engagement.
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Ashland Food Co-op is thrilled to partner with Maslow Project for our Change for Good program! Maslow Project is an incredible organization that works tirelessly to support homeless youth and families in Southern Oregon. Their mission is to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, and they do this through a range of services including housing assistance, medical care, and educational support.
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From Kristina Lefever, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley President
March 2023 Change for Good: Klamath Bird Observatory
From Klamath Bird Observatory, March 2023's Change for Good partner:
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