Putting Vision into Action

Common Ground Food
Co-op is much more than a natural food store, and naturally you know
that.  But what is Common Ground doing to further our mission in the
local community?  Economic accessibility and education are our top priorities!

Economic Accessibility

In January, Common Ground launched Food For All,
a comprehensive program aimed at making the Co-op affordable to
everyone in our community.  We lowered the prices of pantry staple
items, created discount and equity scholarship programs, developed
affordable recipes, and began offering "Eating Healthy on a Budget," a
free monthly class that teaches participants how to stretch their food
dollars at the Co-op.

This fall, we plan to expand the Food For All
program by retooling the “Eating Healthy on a Budget” class for
audiences that do not yet shop at Common Ground.  Several church and
community groups in Champaign-Urbana have already invited us to share
this class with their members, and we're looking forward to building
these new relationships.

Cooking with whole grains, dried
beans, and vegetables can be a new experience for people who are used
to the “all-American” diet of processed foods, but learning just a few
simple cooking techniques can help people save money and eat
better-quality food.  How do we share these skills with those who want
to learn to cook healthier foods?  We're currently making connections
with other local groups and university research teams who are
passionate about the same topic--stay tuned for more information in the
coming months!

Education

Since last October, Common Ground
has offered a wide variety of classes and workshops that cover kitchen
skills (canning, making cheese and yogurt, cooking with bulk
ingredients), gardening (cold frame gardening, vermicomposting), and
sustainable living (water conservation, alternative transportation). 
Coming up soon, we plan to offer a demonstration on crocheting plastic
bags into reusable grocery bags!  The classes and workshops we've
offered so far have been very popular, but we'd love to hear your
suggestions.  What classes and workshops would you like to see at
Common Ground?  Click here to share your ideas!

We are also excited to share the
Co-op's mission with the larger community and have been invited to
speak at day camps, classrooms, and retirement homes in the
Champaign-Urbana area.  This fall, Outreach Assistant Lara Orr will
begin developing curriculum for adults and children that emphasizes the
importance of local food systems.  We are particularly excited about
working with local schools to teach kids from a very young age that
it's important to know where your food comes from! 

These are just some of the ways that
Common Ground is reaching out and engaging with the local community. 
Have ideas on what you’d like to see your Co-op doing in
Champaign-Urbana?  Comment here and share them.  Let’s brainstorm
together!

In Cooperation,

Jacqueline Hannah
General Manager