by Kirsten Moore, Cooperative Services Director
Co-ops are designed to support each other, and support the community, and we appreciate you for being part of our support network. While times continue to be challenging both here at home and abroad, there’s still news to report during this Owner Appreciation month that celebrates our community, and the difference we can make when we work together to meet each other’s common needs.
Over $6,400 Already Raised For Direct Relief Fundraiser Ending Oct. 3
Did you know that we are raising money at checkout for Direct Relief’s response to Hurricane Ida, the earthquake in Haiti, west coast wildfires, and severe weather in the US? It’s true, and, since September 20, we’ve been matching every donation at the cash registers 1:1, up to $10,000. The match is made possible thanks to equity abandoned by past Co-op Owners that has been dedicated for charitable purposes. Since September 10, the Co-op has raised over $6,400 for Direct Relief, one of the largest nonprofits dedicated to providing disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance in partnership with local groups. Donations will help Direct Relief provide medical supplies, medicine, personal protective equipment, and aid to healthcare agencies and first responders, and their donation policy ensures that 100 percent of all designated contributions for specific programs or emergency responses are used only on expenses related to supporting that program or response. They are also a GuideStar Platinum charity with a four-star rating on Charity Navigator.
If you haven’t participated (or if you would like to give again), our fundraising campaign ends October 3 and there’s still time to make donations. To donate, tell you cashier how much to add to your receipt at checkout. Donations are tax deductible, and if you would rather give to Direct Relief directly, you can make a donation and learn more on their website at www.directrelief.org.
Double Dollars Tuesdays Start October 19
Double Dollars is starting again at the Co-op and if you are a shopper using FoodShare/QUEST benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), then you qualify to participate! Double Dollars is a nutrition incentive program created to help those using FoodShare/QUEST purchase fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and legumes, and seeds and seedlings for growing edible plants. On Tuesdays from October 19 through March 8, any shopper using their FoodShare/QUEST card to purchase groceries will be eligible to receive up to $20 worth of Co-op Double Dollars vouchers. Vouchers are issued at the registers once your initial order has been completed. For every $5 you spent using FoodShare/QUEST for any FoodShare/QUEST eligible items, the Co-op will give you one $5 Double Dollar voucher, up to $20 per Tuesday. Co-op Double Dollars are redeemable any time the Co-op is open October through May while funds are available. If you have leftover Co-op Double Dollars vouchers from last year, you can start redeeming them right away October 1.
All shoppers have the option to contribute to the Double Dollars Fund at the cash registers either by selecting a scan card to make a cash donation, or simply by reusing bags. When you reuse bags at the Co-op, we save the money we would spend on disposable bags and instead contribute that money to the Fund. Double Dollars Tuesdays are made possible thanks to the Co-op’s Double Dollars Fund, the City of Madison, Dane County, Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, and other private funders. Funds not only support Double Dollars at the Co-op from fall to spring; they also support offering Double Dollars to FoodShare/QUEST benefits participants at participating local farmers’ markets from spring to fall. More information about Double Dollars at the can be found at www.willystreet.coop/double-dollars.
August Equity Drive Raises over $16K in Two Weeks
On August 16-29, the Co-op encouraged new and returning customers to become Co-op Owners and asked all current Owners making equity payments yearly to consider paying their equity in full instead of using the annual payment plan. Equity is the Co-op Owner’s economic support for the services the cooperative provides for them and their community, and when Owners are able to afford to pay their equity in-full, we are able to more efficiently administer their Owner account (also saving the Owner annual administrative fees) and strengthen our cash on hand to pay for the labor, goods, services, and financing necessary to keep the cooperative in operation. For more information about the value of Owner equity, please see our August Reader, archived at www.willystreet.coop/august-2021/act-on-principle-3-participate-in-our-owner-equity-drive.
Owners really came through for the Co-op during this Equity Drive! Typically, new Owners and Owners on payment plans make about $8,000 in equity payments over two weeks in August, and during the equity drive Owners paid in $16,254 in equity, which is typically the amount of equity we receive during the entire month of August. Many thanks to all of our current Owners who were able to make equity payments and/or pay their equity in-full. If you are a new Owner, welcome to the Co-op! We appreciate your support. Your equity, your shopping with us, and being part of our community really adds up and makes a difference! Thanks to all of our Owners for supporting our ability to continue offering our services to the greater Madison area.
COVID-19 Vaccine and Face Covering Update
On September 9, President Joe Biden directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an emergency temporary standard mandating private employers with more than 100 employees to require COVID-19 vaccination or a weekly negative test result prior to coming to work. The Co-op had 370 employees at the end of Fiscal Year 2021, and while the OSHA rule has yet to be released, we are actively making plans for compliance. The Co-op has not required employees to provide their vaccine status as a condition of employment to-date, though employees have been voluntarily participating in our anonymous vaccine poll ever since our workforce became vaccine eligible. As more people complete their vaccinations in Dane County, the Co-op continues to see similar completed vaccination rates among our employees to what Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) has been reporting county-wide.
On September 10, PHMDC issued Face Covering Emergency Order 2, extending the already enforced public health orders through October 8, 2021. At the time of writing, the Co-op had not heard whether public health orders would be extended longer than that time, however we will continue to monitor and comply with public health guidance for employees and customers. Thank you for your continued compliance with face covering orders. Wearing them without debate while you shop makes it easier and safer for our entire workforce working indoors day in and day out. We appreciate all the care and support our community continues to provide.
The Work Continues Together
A cooperative’s work is never done, and it’s our job to continue collaborating to make an impact in the world around us, whether it is wearing face coverings when we work and shop to keep each other safe, whether it’s making a continued commitment to supporting our local suppliers and our ability to provide their products in the community, or whether it’s deciding to give and collaborate with public, private, and community partners to increase local food accessibility or to respond to global climate change and the disastrous impacts felt by the communities around us. Cooperating to meet each other’s common needs isn’t always easy, but our commitment to each other and the world around us is something to be appreciated not only one month a year, but each and every day. Our continued gratitude to you.