This month, we’re celebrating National Co-op Month along with 40,000 other cooperative businesses nationwide. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Co-ops Commit,” recognizing the way that cooperative businesses are committed to meeting the needs of their members and communities, rather than generating returns for distant corporations and investors. 

Cooperatives commit to their communities by working for sustainable development and economic independence. They generate jobs, keep profits local, and pay local taxes to help support community services. Most of the profits generated by co-ops are either reinvested in the cooperative or returned to their owners. Those dollars recirculate close to home, helping to strengthen the local economy.

Cooperatives also commit to building trust between the co-op, its members, and the community. All co-ops are united by and strive to adhere to seven key cooperative principles. Once principle, Democratic Member Control, means owners have a voice in the cooperative’s policies and decisions. Another principle, Concern for Community, means co-ops give back by making charitable contributions to community efforts, by providing educational opportunities to their community, and by encouraging their employees’ involvement in local organizations.

When you consider all the ways co-ops are committed to their communities, isn’t it time you committed to the co-op in your community? For a ONE-time investment of $200 or by beginning installment plan of $21 per month, you can be a Founding Owner of Food Shed Co-op, committed to making sure we open our doors sooner rather than later!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Kombucha Workshop

Are you crazy about kombucha? This popular health tonic can be found in almost every grocery store these days. But did you know you can easily brew it at home for a fraction of the cost? Join us on Sunday, November 5, at Conscious Cup in Crystal Lake, where owner Andrea Pracht will show you everything you need to know and send you home with resources and your own SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) to start your first batch. (Check out Andrea’s website, My Kitchen Clatter, for lots of tips and recipes for cooking with whole foods and information about other classes she teaches.) Space is limited, and only a few tickets are left, so purchase your tickets today!