February Change for Good Recipient: Ashland High Arts Advocates

 

February's Change for Good Recipient is

Ashland High Arts Advocates (AHAA),

a volunteer-led non-profit which advocates and raises funds to support Ashland, Oregon area public schools arts programs, teachers and students. Through annual fundraisers, AHAA funds summer programs, teacher grants, guest artists, needed equipment, and organizes the largest annual youth showcase in the region, the Winter Fine Arts Festival. Each year, AHAA provides thousands of dollars in summer arts scholarships to students, as well as annual operational grants to teachers.

This Change for Good month's funds will go directly to Jake Taub's Culinary Arts Program at Ashland High School.

AHAA at AFC

AHS offers six Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management courses as well as additional internships for students in grades 9-12. In each of their courses, students have the opportunity to earn free or discounted credit at Klamath Community College, Lane Community College, or from SOU's Hospitality and Tourism program. 

Culinary Arts Program students earn the knowledge and skills to cook for themselves and make informed decisions about the sourcing of ingredients within the introduction classes.. Students may carry on to our advanced classes and learn relevant industry skills that allow them to enter the workforce immediately after high school or while pursuing a post-secondary education.

AHAA at AFC

The program caters many events for local organizations. Some of the organizations they have worked with in the past are: The SOU School of Education, SOU’s Best of the Best Art Show, The Ashland Independent Film Festival, The Hearth, and Jackson County Public Health.

For the past five years, these Culinary Arts and Hospitality students have consistently placed in the top two positions in our regional high-school competition at the Ashland Culinary Festival!

AHAA at AFC

Jake Taub and his Culinary Arts Program are presently working with students in our design and manufacturing programs to modify an old school bus into their very own food truck in order to further the opportunities to give students hands-on experiences serving our community. They're hoping to finish this project by the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

 

Support Ashland High Arts Advocates (AHAA) when you round up your purchase at the register throughout the month of February!

 

To learn more about this organization or learn about volunteering, click here to visit their website.

 

 

What is Change for Good?
The AFC Gives committee focuses on ways that the Co-op community can support local organizations and groups doing important work in the Rogue Valley.

2020 is the first year of Change for Good, a register round-up program to benefit a slate of ten organizations, voted on by Co-op owners, through the cumulative donations of shoppers choosing to round-up their shopping total to the nearest dollar.

From one cent to 99 cents, it all adds up to feeling good about supporting the community.

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.