Give the Gift of the Co-op

We are excited this holiday season to introduce our Give the Gift of the Co-op Campaign! Our Co-op Membership Gift comes with a tote bag; a welcome card; a bumper sticker; and a brochure, all beautifully wrapped in a burlap bag tied with red ribbon and a sprig of rosemary. You can purchase these gift packages at all of our upcoming Co-op events this holiday season, through the Co-op website, and at the Bizarre Market on the second floor of Chop Suey Bookstore in Carytown throughout the month of December. 

By giving the gift of the Co-op, you are not simply giving someone a membership. You are offering them access to a warm and growing community in Richmond that cares about our collective health and our environment. You are supporting local farmers, local businesses, and local activists who are striving to create a healthier and more equitable society. And you are broadening our member base to ensure that the Richmond Food Co-op becomes a vital part of a more inclusive and more responsible city. This is a gift that will continue to benefit many for years to come by offering your loved ones community, health, discounts on local products, and a voice in the democratic life of the Co-operative. 

As the holiday season in North America becomes increasingly defined by disposable gifts, ecologically unsound practices, and labor exploitation at home and abroad, let’s make sustainable choices that benefit the health of our families, our communities, and the planet this season and well beyond. The gift of the Co-op is a perfect way to begin!

-Julietta Singh, Co-op Board Member

Give Thanks for Your Co-op Potluck

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs in upstate NY, I am a huge proponent of local and homegrown businesses.  Having lived in Richmond for the past 12 years, I wouldn’t say I had much experience with what a co-op was or what it stood for.  Coincidentally, I have a cousin who lives in Brooklyn who introduced me to the Park Slope Food Cooperative seven years ago.  While I understood the general idea of a co-op, I honestly didn’t give joining one much thought until April 2013, when a good friend of mine was pitching her business model for online clothing line at the Carpenter Center.   Serendipitously, Michele and Susan were also there giving their presentation for starting the Richmond Food Co-op.  It didn’t take much to convince me to jump on board.  I started out as a pioneering member, but quickly found an opportunity to use my experience as a Coordinator at Capital One to help grow and advance the Richmond Food Cooperative initiative.  I’ll be helping to plan our events and implement creative opportunities to expand our membership.  Our goal is to have a brick and mortar establishment that will provide local, organic and sustainable goods to those who may not have previously had access to healthy options. 

Given the time the season, we all start thinking about how we can give back to the community.  Partnering with Re-Establish Richmond, we are hosting a member-driven potluck.  This will be an opportunity to share the mission of the Co-op with friends and family.  This could also be an opportunity to share some of your favorite holiday recipes with your fellow members/owners the week prior to Thanksgiving.  I know myself, I plan on taking some of this culinary inspiration with me back home to NY to show off my newly-acquired cooking skills.

The Potluck will also serve as the launch of our Give the Gift of the Co-op Campaign - what better time of year to share your Co-op with your loved ones? Walk away with a gift of community and good food for that special someone in your life.

So let’s all take a couple hours on November 24^th to meet, greet, eat and give thanks to this first (and very successful) year of the Richmond Food Cooperative.  I look forward to meeting each and every one of you on Sunday. 

-Patrick Basloe, Co-op Events Chair

Cooperative Thanksgiving Donation

This Thanksgiving, the Richmond Food Co-op will be sponsoring a Cooperative Thanksgiving Donation. We are teaming up with Lockhart Family Farm, Shalom Farms, WPA Bakery, Catering By Jill, Costello Personal Services, and Party Perfect to create a few cooperatively delicious meals.

Thanks to a generous donation from the Lockhart Family, some creative thinking, a cooperative community with shared values, and a little elbow grease, we are able to provide three families with a Thanksgiving heritage breed turkey and all the trimmings to go with it.

There are many initiatives throughout the state that aim to fight hunger, however, many families fall shy of standard qualifications. This nomination process aims to make that net a little wider. If you know a family who has found themselves in an unfamiliar circumstance, is experiencing unforeseen challenges, or is especially in need this holiday season, then sign them up! 

How can you get involved and help?

• Nominate a family
• help prepare and deliver the meals* 
• sponsor a Co-op membership for the recipient*, or 
• contribute a donation*

*Email Brandon@richmondfoodcoop.com

Nominations are due by Wednesday, November 20. Recipients will be notified by Friday, November 22, and meals will be delivered Thanksgiving morning.

Lets give back - the Co-op way!

-Brandon Walton, Co-op Member/Owner

A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

WPA Bakery

Lockhart Family Farm

Shalom Farms

Party Perfect

Catering By Jill Inc.

COSTELLO PERSONAL SERVICES - PRIVATE CHEF - (804-241-2401)