Welcome to the Board!
We are happy to welcome two new Directors, Evan Archerd and Elizabeth Walsh, to the Board! And we're thrilled to have Joanna Wnorowski Pecoraro continuing to serve!
Evan Archerd has been a local business owner and builder in Ashland and Talent for nearly forty years. He has always believed that “Building Responsibly Creates Great Communities.” The first step in all of his building projects has been to consider the unique physical and environmental features of the site before any planning or construction could begin. In addition, his company built one of the first affordable housing projects in the City of Ashland and he remains committed to creating affordable housing in the Rogue Valley.
Evan attended the University of California at Santa Cruz and Southern Oregon University, where he later served on the SOU Alumni Association Board of Directors. He is also a past president of the Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs. Evan was a member of the Board of Directors for the Ashland Community Land Trust, and he chaired numerous local homeowner associations. He is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and Certified General Appraiser in Oregon and also has years of licensing experience as a general Contractor.
Elizabeth Walsh brings over 15 years of strategic leadership experience in natural foods retail, customer insights, and data analytics. She previously worked for Whole Foods Market, where she held a variety of roles. She led marketing for the Pacific Northwest region and managed HR for 25 locations, with over 7,500 staff, gaining deep insight into natural food operations and community engagement. Her strength lies in turning data into strategies that grow organizations and foster connection.
Now living in Ashland, Elizabeth is passionate about strengthening the co-op’s impact and long-term resilience. She served as Board President of the Bellevue Farmers Market and supported B Corp certification efforts for a Canadian brand management company. With a B.A. in Political Science and an M.S. in Data Science, she blends analytical thinking with a systems-based approach to help the Co-op thrive while staying rooted in cooperative values.
Joanna Wnorowski Pecoraro first walked through our doors in 1980, when we were still on Third Street — we even had a table with a wood stove where folks could gather and hang out.” These are great memories and it's been an honor to serve on our Board for the past three years. I love our Ashland Food Co-op and supporting our traditions going forward in a new time. I've felt great pride in serving as President and supporting the mission of our Co-op.
My experience with co-ops and boards goes back decades. In 1977 I was instrumental in the formation of a food buying club in Silverton & Mt. Angel area of Oregon in 1977, when our local co-op shut down. The value of having healthy, organic food available for the community is a priority for me. I have five decades of practice in nutrition, food preservation, gardening and study of integrated health. I am connected to various farmers and growers in our region.
More Co-op News
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.
October news at the Co-op
October is typically Co-op month, to highlight how differently cooperatives do business. But instead of talking about the 7 Cooperative Principles, or the ownership benefits of being part of the Co-op, we only need to look at the past four weeks to see what being a cooperative really means.
As part of the co-op family, you've helped the entire community immensely.
Lecture recording: "Nutrition for autism and related conditions"
Lisa Shelton, BioIndividual Nutrition Practitioner & Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, put together this recording to discuss nutrition for autism and related conditions including, ADHD, anxiety, and learning disorders as well as strategies for picky eating.
Click here to watch the lecture at your convenience.
Password: p!=Fw6R7
Support Co-op staff to rebuild
The Ashland Food Co-op is dedicated to helping our community and our staff rebuild after the Almeda Fires in early September.
For immediate support, the Co-op gave $1,000 to staff who lost their homes in the fires, as well as $250 for food and other household needs for anyone displaced due to a level 3 evacuation order.
Change for Good in September: Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
For the month of September, Ashland Food Co-op shoppers can round up at the register to support Southern Oregon Land Conservancy. Since 1973, SOLC has been working on multiple fronts to improve land quality and conservation for humans and nature alike. Check out some of the projects below that SOLC has been working on recently. And mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24, as SOLC hosts an Open Lands Day hike and tour on the Rogue River Preserve.
Free Monday Night Lecture - Some Cool Science about Breathing
Join Kelly Martin as she explains how your breath impacts everything from ankle sprains to headaches. Learn why belly breathing isn't good for you, how to breathe correctly, and how to maximize lung health, improve posture, enhance walking efficiency, reduce anxiety, and improve sports performance.
Access the Zoom recording here.
Zoom access password: 2zu@KQWU
Chatting about community giving with JPR's "Jefferson Exchange"
Recently, Julie O'Dwyer, Ashland Food Co-op board vice-president, joined a panel of guests on Jefferson Public Radio's "Jefferson Exchange" to discuss how the pandemic has led to an even greater need for community giving and support of local non-profits.
Change for Good in August: KS Wild
This month's featured organization in the new Change for Good register round-up program is KS Wild (short for Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center).
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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.