By: Anya Firszt, General Manager
Hello dear Owners,
Hello May! Happy May Day.
Last month, I mentioned that our March weather had been all over the place, and April was no different. I, for one, have seen (and heard) enough hail for a lifetime. Perhaps May will bring a warmer and more gentle forecast.
What do we have to celebrate this month?
May offers May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Memorial Day. You can find a little something to help you celebrate these days and all those days in between at the Co-op.
Sustainability Award and Nomination
Sustainable Middleton Award
Willy West has received a Sustainable Middleton Award. You might think this was for the rooftop solar panels installed in 2025, which produce 165 MWh of electricity annually, offsetting 22% of the store’s energy needs. However, Willy West was also recognized as a popular “healthy sustainable food” grocery store, supporting local food systems by buying from local farmers, producers, and service providers. Building on these efforts, the Co-op has added a new fund to the Community Reinvestment Fund, called Rooted in Our Community. This $20,000 grant giving fund was established to support the local sustainable food system. Additionally, the Co-op offers 450 local brands, representing one-third of our annual sales. Thank you, dear Owners, for making this all possible.
Destination Madison Award (DMA)
Willy Street Co-op has been nominated, along with 11 other Madison-area businesses, for the 2026 DMA Sustainability Excellence Award. This award recognizes businesses that demonstrate exceptional commitment to sustainable practices, with an eye toward environmental consciousness, social responsibility, and economic viability. In recognition of these efforts, we congratulate all the DMA nominees. The award winners will be announced at the Summer Summit in June. Stay tuned for future updates.
REMINDERS
Just one more month to claim your Fiscal Year 2025 patronage refund store credit (if you received one). You have until June 28, 2026, to use it as store credit toward a purchase, redeem it for cash, or donate it to Double Dollars.
If you want to get Co-op notifications by email, please make sure that we have your current email address. You can update it at Customer Service or by emailing ora@willystreet.coop.
Mark your calendar – all stores are closing at 7:00 pm.
- Memorial Day, May 25
- Year-end inventory count, July 3
- Independence Day, July 4
Have you heard?
WORT-FM has canceled this year’s annual springtime outdoor music festival, WORTstock. The cancellation is reportedly due to budget cuts because of a “substantial deficit” following the loss of over $112,000 in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In Remembrance
We lost two Co-op community members last month: Becky Green and Alan West.
Becky Green was co-founder and Assistant Executive Director of Mentoring Positives, Inc. This nonprofit aims to serve at-risk youth in the Darbo-Worthington Park Neighborhood on Madison’s east side and produces and sells Off the Block Salsa and frozen pizza. Throughout her work with Mentoring Positives, Becky’s commitment and dedication to young people through mentoring and leadership have made a lasting impression. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.
Alan West was an avid bicyclist and Co-op shopper for as long as I can remember. There were days when I would run into him at all three of our stores. Alan was a kind and gentle soul who made a lasting impact in our community and will be missed by all who came into contact with him. Our deepest condolences to Alan’s family and loved ones.
Until next month,
Anya
