Owner Voting on 2020 Co-op Board & more

As an owner of the Ashland Food Co-op, you are an important decision-maker in the leadership of the Co-op! A vital part of your ownership is voting for the Board of Directors.

On the ballot: Vote for Board Candidates and Change for Good Organizations

Vote for Board Candidates
This year, four candidates are nominated for three Board positions: each elected Board director will serve a three-year term. The candidates are Ed Claassen, Mark Gibbs, Carolina Livi and Julie O'Dywer.

You can read Board candidates' statements and biographies, and watch a short video about each candidate, or find more information about the Change for Good organizations by clicking this link.

Vote for Change for Good Organizations
This year, the AFC Gives Committee is very excited to introduce AFC's new Change for Good Program, which will enable shoppers to round up their purchases at the register so that the spare change will benefit a different local non-profit each month. In addition, each month the Co-op will partner with the designated non-profit to share their mission and engage our shoppers in their organization. This program is being planned to roll out in early autumn.

The AFC Gives Committee has reviewed a large number of grant applications, and has selected twelve finalists for the 2020-2021 Change for Good program. We are asking our owners to vote for their top ten organizations on the ballot. The ten organizations receiving the most votes will be our first round of Change for Good participants. Each month, one of the ten organizations that have received the most votes will be featured in the Change for Good Program. Brief descriptions of each organization's program and/or project are included on the ballot.

The twelve Change for Good finalists are:
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program at Ashland High School
Klamath Siskiyou Wildland Center (KS Wild)
Maslow Project
North Mountain Park Nature Center (NMP)
Our Family Farms Project
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
Rogue Farm Corps
Rogue Valley Farm to School
Rogue Valley Mentoring
SOCAN Master Climate Protector Program
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC)
St. Vincent de Paul Society

Voting procedure

As an owner, you will receive your ballot in an email from "Ashland Food Co-op ". The link you receive is unique to you - only you will have access to your ballot.

When you vote online, please confirm your voting selections for three Board candidates and ten Change for Good organizations by clicking on "Confirm" to have your vote submitted. After confirming your choices, you will see a checkmark with a "Success" message. That is when the vote is saved and counted. (If you leave the ballot before seeing the "Success" message, then your vote will not be submitted.)

Due to Covid-19, voting is online only. Ballots will not be available in printed form at the Information Desk.

Deadline & Results

Voting opens on Wednesday, May 27 at 9 AM. and closes on Wednesday, June 10 at 9 PM. Owners will receive election results via email in the following week.

If you have any questions about the voting process, please email [email protected].

More Co-op News

Ashland Food Co-op's December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center

This December, Ashland Food Co-op is proud to partner with Rogue Action Center (RAC) as part of their Change for Good initiative. RAC is dedicated to cultivating organizing power and leadership to create a more just and thriving Southern Oregon. Their mission focuses on building community power for Housing Justice, Racial Justice, and Queer & Trans Liberation. They achieve this through a combination of base building, youth-centered leadership development, coalition building, and advocacy campaigns aimed at transforming societal rules.

Our November Change for Good Partner: SOESD Indian Education Fund

Each month, the Ashland Food Co-op partners with a local nonprofit through our Change for Good program. This November, we are proud to feature the important work of the Southern Oregon Indian Education Department (SOESD) Indian Education Fund.

The Change for Good program allows our shoppers to round up their total at the register, with the extra change going to support a different local nonprofit each month. The funds collected make a meaningful difference for these organizations and the communities they serve.

Save on Field Day Items and Support Native Foodways

This November, get ready for gatherings with friends and family with big savings on all Field Day products at your co-op. Save on more than 270 Field Day items — from maple syrup to wild-caught tuna to paper towels — from Oct. 30 through Dec. 3. Field Day is our value brand that offers high-quality, delicious food and household products at more affordable prices every day through Co+op Basics, making this savings event even more spectacular. Our lowest prices will be even lower! 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Honoring Native Heritage

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It's observed on the second Monday in October, coinciding with the federal holiday of Columbus Day in the United States.

Celebrating Hispanic and Latinx Heritage

September 15th marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions, diverse cultures, and rich histories of Americans with ancestry from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

September Change for Good Partner: Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

At Ashland Food Co-op, our commitment to community and sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. This September, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on our Change for Good partner, Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (Friends of CSNM). This dedicated organization works tirelessly to protect, restore, and conserve the natural beauty of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument through service, advocacy, and education.

Stewardship in Action: Restoring Riparian Areas

Disability Pride Month

Disability Pride Month, first celebrated in 1990, commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark legislation prohibits discrimination based on disability and ensures equal opportunities in all areas of public life. Disability Pride Month promotes visibility and mainstream awareness of the positive pride felt by people with disabilities.

July Change for Good Partner: Peace House

Meet our July Change for Good partner - Peace House! This incredible organization has been a cornerstone of our community, dedicated to building a culture of peace through compassionate actions that support human rights and justice for all.

About Peace House

Peace House has a broad and impactful mission. Their work spans several critical areas, including:

Co-op, Community and Coffee

We are thrilled to announce that the Ashland Food Co-op has purchased the Rogue Valley Roasting Company (RoCo) from longtime owner, Dustin Way.

A Closer Look at Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo has become synonymous with festivities and delicious Mexican cuisine (and who doesn’t love both of those things?). At the Ashland Food Co-op, it's important for us to approach this celebration mindfully and with a cultural understanding.