Unwavering Spirit in a Time of Change
By Emile Amarotico, General Manager
It’s been two months since my last update on our Co-op community, but it could just as well have been two years ago, or from an alternate reality! Needless to say, life at the Co-op has changed, and it hasn’t been easy for employees or shoppers. But despite the challenges, it has been an inspiring and reaffirming time that reminds us why we love the cooperative enterprise.
It is impossible not to be proud of the care and compassion the Co-op community has shown since the coronavirus began to impact our daily lives. That started with the Co-op Board of Directors deciding unanimously that 100% of the over $600,000 patronage dividends for 2019 should be returned to owners. In most years, a portion of that amount is retained for future development and reinvestment in Co-op operations, but knowing the financial insecurity that many are facing in light of the pandemic, we wanted to maximize assistance to our community. One shopper let us know they had not yet received any unemployment benefits, so their dividend return was literally keeping food on the table.
For others, the 100% dividend was an opportunity for charity. With the option to donate dividends to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank, over $15,000 has already been donated to help those facing food insecurity.
There’s also been no lack of volunteer support. At the beginning of April, the CDC and other health authorities began to recommend face coverings in public. With the aim of protecting Co-op employees without taking away medical-grade N95 masks from health care workers, a group of six community members, led by board member Julie O’Dwyer, stitched together enough masks for each employee to have a fresh one each day. Thanks again to Joe Dunbar, Erin McConnell, Erica Thompson, board member Trine Ostergaard, Jenni Presley, and Cindy Goodwin for their selfless work. Additionally, we’re seeing neighbors arrive with large shopping lists to pick up groceries for vulnerable neighbors.
Of course, there have been difficulties. We celebrate the diverse backgrounds and viewpoints that the Rogue Valley nurtures, and have tried to accommodate everyone without being overly restrictive. But there’s no blueprint for businesses or individuals on how to navigate a global pandemic, so we know we won’t get it right 100% of the time. Please know that we are looking to healthcare professionals and national examples of other co-ops and grocery stores to keep safety as the main priority. We hope that you’ll continue to support our employees and each other with patience and kindness (and masks, too!).
Summer is just around the corner and we hope that we might return to something resembling where we were this time last year. We will continue to provide great customer service, healthy food, support for local growers and producers, and warmth and caring to the best of our ability and within the guidelines of health experts. Thanks for being part of what makes this Co-op and our community such a great place to be, and for rising to the challenge of doing our best for our neighbors.
More Co-op News
Give the Gift of Wellness
Finding the perfect gift for a friend or loved one is an art. This winter, we carefully selected these assortments for those who love some good self-care, are working in partnership with their gut health, or for those making efforts to reduce their pain. Each of these gift ideas will help you make your loved ones feel extra special and extra healthful.
Give the Gift of Good Food
During the month of November, Co-op shoppers can nourish their own families and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley. We’ve teamed up once again with Smart Chicken® for the Smart Giving Holiday Challenge.
Here’s how it works.
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For every 10 pounds of Smart Chicken® you purchase from the Meat Department or the Deli, Smart Chicken® will donate one pound of chicken to a local non profit
We're All Turtles
By Dean Williamson, Board of Director
My grandmother loved to talk. Oh, could she talk! And she had one expression that I’ve always really liked. “If you come across a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be pretty sure it didn’t get there by itself.”
The Power of Principle Seven
By Emile Amarotico, General Manager
As we approach the holidays, I’d like to invoke the spirit of the Seventh Cooperative Principle: Concern for Community. The International Cooperative Alliance defines Principle Seven as when “cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.”
So how does that work? How does Ashland Food Co-op demonstrate concern for community?
The Co-op is Certified Organic! What does that mean?
By Barry Haynes, Store Manager
Did you know that the Ashland Food Co-op is the only Certified Organic Retailer in southern Oregon. Well, that’s great! But what does that actually mean?
Love Local with the Local Guy
Throughout September, we will be celebrating all things local. And no one loves local or is more local than our Temporary Demo Coordinator, Brighton Litjens. He was basically raised at the Co-op, has a strong passion for local farmers and producers and loves delighting shoppers with delicious samples and great deals. Who better to tell us about loving local than the "Local Guy" himself?
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Owner Benefits: Independence and Connection
By Julie O'Dwyer, Board Secretary, Chair of the Owner Engagement Committee
Meet Board of Director Trine Ostergaard
Trine Ostergaard is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. She brings a world, literally, of experience to the table and has a sincere passion and love for the Co-op. We are thrilled to have her aboard and asked her to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Meet Board of Director Dean Williamson
Dean Williamson is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. He brings to the table a plethora of co-op experience and a love of chocolate chip cookies. We are thrilled to have him aboard and asked him to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Staff Picks: Favorite Local Products
September is Love Local Month! All month long we’re celebrating our local farmers and vendors with demos, events and more. Here are some of our staff's favorite local products.
How Can I Reduce My Plastic Use at the Co-op?
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
Plastic pollution today is a global dilemma. Did you know that more than 40% of plastic is used once, then tossed? In 2015, 79% of total plastic waste ended up in landfills or the environment. How can our co-op help reduce the amount of single-use plastics? Luckily, we offer a variety of options for owners.
Stainless Steel Straws
Meet Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
By Lauren Taber, Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
Pachamama Coffee Cooperative started in 2001 with a few simple questions in mind: what would it look like to take Fair Trade a step further? How can coffee farmers be in direct relationship with end consumers in the United States?
We found that the answer was even simpler: cooperative ownership. Pachamama Coffee has been 100% farmer-owned since day one, and is currently owned by 140,000 small scale family farmers across the coffee producing regions of the world.
Community Cider Backyard Fruit Drive
How often can you browse the shelf at your neighborhood grocery store, see a bottle of hand crafted, local cider and say, “Hey, I help make that!” Well, at the Co-op you can.
2018 Board Election Results
The AFC Board of Directors is pleased to announce the results of the 2018 Board Election. There were three excellent candidates running for two Board positions. In total, 905 votes were cast.
Congratulations to the following candidates who will serve three-year terms on the Ashland Food Co-op Board of Directors.
Thank you for voting!
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