My latest locavore food adventure was joining Providence's only cooperative food market, Urban Greens Food Co-op, Urban Greens Food Co-op is a community of members who believe in establishing a full-scale, cooperatively owned market to expand access to healthy foods throughout our community. They are scheduled to open this fall, I hope you join me and become a member in this sustainable food adventure.
A food cooperative or food co-op is a grocery store organized as a cooperative. Food cooperatives are usually consumers' cooperatives and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run a cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility than their corporate analogues. ^ The food cooperative. Guardian.co.uk. 8 December 2005.
The following information is from the Urban Greens website.
Urban Greens is a food co-op working to open a full-scale consumer-owned grocery store on Providence’s west side, to provide direct access to affordable, local, natural products. Urban Greens Food Co-op evolved out of a buying club that began in the year 2000 and is still in operation today. By opening a community-owned grocery store Urban Greens will meet our community’s needs for healthy food, support our local economy, and provide a sustainable community based-alternative to corporate supermarkets.
The store will have about 6,500 square feet of retail space, with another 1500 square feet of office space and storage space: the size of a well-stocked neighborhood grocery store. The atmosphere will be warm, friendly, neighborly and informal. The members shop at Urban Greens for reasons of health, affordability, politics, community involvement and quality. The co-op will welcome members of the community into the storefront through classes and workshops on topics such as nutrition, health, gardening and more. All members will have a equal opportunity to make organizational decisions and to become involved in programing.
Urban Greens is a food cooperative on the west side of Providence with a mission to provide simple, direct access to affordable, local, natural products through a full-scale, community-owned grocery store.
So What is a Food Cooperative?
A food cooperative or food co-op is a grocery store organized as a cooperative. Food cooperatives are usually consumers' cooperatives and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run a cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility than their corporate analogues. ^ The food cooperative. Guardian.co.uk. 8 December 2005.
The following information is from the Urban Greens website.
Urban Greens Food Co-op?
Urban Greens is a food co-op working to open a full-scale consumer-owned grocery store on Providence’s west side, to provide direct access to affordable, local, natural products. Urban Greens Food Co-op evolved out of a buying club that began in the year 2000 and is still in operation today. By opening a community-owned grocery store Urban Greens will meet our community’s needs for healthy food, support our local economy, and provide a sustainable community based-alternative to corporate supermarkets.
The store will have about 6,500 square feet of retail space, with another 1500 square feet of office space and storage space: the size of a well-stocked neighborhood grocery store. The atmosphere will be warm, friendly, neighborly and informal. The members shop at Urban Greens for reasons of health, affordability, politics, community involvement and quality. The co-op will welcome members of the community into the storefront through classes and workshops on topics such as nutrition, health, gardening and more. All members will have a equal opportunity to make organizational decisions and to become involved in programing.
Mission
Urban Greens is a food cooperative on the west side of Providence with a mission to provide simple, direct access to affordable, local, natural products through a full-scale, community-owned grocery store.
Values
- Equal Access: Every person, regardless of economic or social status, deserves access to healthy, affordable food produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
- Local Agriculture: Our health is dependent upon responsible stewardship of the planet's resources. Supporting local agriculture is an important part of this stewardship. Happily, local food also tastes better
- Local Economy: Small businesses, as opposed to national retail chains, keep a higher percentage of every dollar spent within the community. The co-op will help create and support jobs for local farmers, food producers, and staff.
- Cooperative Principles, Cooperative Values: Cooperatives are based on the values of democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. As a cooperative, we believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
- Community Partnerships: Building and sharing strength requires actively seeking collaboration with neighbors, community members, local community groups, small businesses, non-profits, members and non-members.
- Social Entrepreneurship: We can affect social change in our food systems through entrepreneurship. The cooperative measures success in terms of both social change and economic viability.
Membership Options
- The full one-time cost of a member share is $160, which can be paid in full or $40/year over 4 years.
- We also offer the option to purchase a low-income member share, which reduces the cost to just $80, paid in full or $10/year over 8 years. (Download the Membership Form for more details about member shares)
Contact Information
Urban Greens Food Co-op
1560 Westminster St
Providence, RI 02909
401-267-UGFC info@urbangreens.comI hope you join me and I look forward to seeing you as a member.Until I blog again: Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe
