As many readers may know, the Co-op’s Board of Directors has a new set of values. We want member-owners to feel like you belong here, that you have choices, and that you can trust in the quality of your food. We also want to emphasize support for our local farms, producers, economy, and community. We care about human and environmental health, and about social, racial, and economic justice.
The Co-op learns in a number of ways from our member-owners about how well we exemplify these values, including through our annual survey. But as we plan for our expansion, we’re eager to expand our customer base by recruiting new member-owners, and by serving the wide range of shoppers in Franklin County. As Board President Tammy Erickson’s recent column explained, for food co-ops to grow in this era, we need to continue to put our cooperative values into practice, and ensure that everyone feels welcome and can access food they want to buy.
To those ends, the Co-op’s Community Outreach Working Group is holding a series of conversations with members of religious, educational, residential, community, parent, and other groups. In these Zoom or in-person meetings, we’re asking participants about where they shop now, what they look for in a grocery store, and their perceptions (if any) of the Franklin Community Co-op. We’ve been delighted by the response and are learning about how we can best serve our community. In the late fall, we’ll share our findings in a report.
If you know of a group that might like to connect with us, let us know! Our conversations are about an hour long, and participants receive a $10 Co-op gift card as a token of our appreciation. Thank you!
The Community Outreach Working Group
Kelly Moore (Chair)
Peter Garbus
Wendy Sibbison