Deadline has change!

For the Logo Contest
Deadline has changed from Dec 31st to January 15th 2014

Looking forward to seeing your logo!

Logo Contest

Name of Food Coop

The name of the food coop is

Ticonderoga Natural Foods Co-op

Vote for the Name

You can cut and paste this address to vote http://goo.gl/meLXt1 or
The direct link is here.

Please vote!

Survey Results

Sept. 16, 2013 Meeting Notes

Coop Meeting Notes

Monday, September 16, 2013

There were twenty-six volunteers who attended the meeting.  Below are some highlights from the meeting. For more details, please be in touch with Committee Chairs, Sharon Reynolds at PRIDE or Ross Kelley.

Ø  The overall consensus from the group at the close of the meeting was one of ‘let’s move the food co-op forward’.  To accomplish this, the chairs of the standing committees will begin to meet on a weekly basis.

Ø  The legal fees for registering the food co-op are estimated to be approximately $1,500 and we will need to raise this amount soon.

Ø  Robin gave a presentation from her conversations with Juniper Hill Farm, a 125 acre CSA (see attached Power Point). It was noted that CSA’s should be a source for produce at the co-op as well as local and regional farmers, buyers clubs, and regional HUB’s. The Sourcing Committee is working on the completion of the list of sources available and beginning to research each of these sources.

Ø  Eric reported on the results of the summary noting 268 individuals have responded.  A summary of the survey will be sent out in a press release in October. Discussion about an increase in education and communication to the community via civic organizations took place and will be addressed via the education committee.

Ø  Ross began a presentation to summarize where we are and where we are going addressing topics including distribution centers (HUBs), the strength of the word “Marketplace” in describing the co-op, the importance of local farmers, NYS Health Department regulations and certifications, the development of a list of questions for volunteers to use in visits to co-ops, and fundraising efforts.

Ø  The group agreed that a name for the co-op is important and should be determined now.  Sharon will send out an email for everyone to send us their ideas for the Ticonderoga food co-op.

The above was only a brief summary of the meeting.

Note the next meeting will be on November 18^th at 6 pm at TiNY on Montcalm Street.  Anita Deming, Founder of the Adirondack Harvest and Executive Director and Agricultural Issue Leader at Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Essex County will be our speaker after the committee chairs announce the name for our co-op that will be voted on via email and social media beginning next week.  Stay tuned!

Survey

Please help us collect information about developing a Ticonderoga Food Co op.

Please click on the link below

http://goo.gl/My3DiQ

Thank you for your information and support

July 22 Meeting Notes

Meeting May 29th

SUNY Plattsburgh Students

SWOT Analysis

May Meeting

Ti Co-op meeting minutes for Monday, April 29th 2013

Ti Co-op meeting minutes for Monday, April 29^th at the Downtown Gallery

Great energy and enthusiasm from the group that met on Monday!

After discussing the level of commitment from volunteers to serve on the committees, the following individuals asked to be involved in the ‘next steps’ of educating ourselves and organizing our co-op.

Name                                                       Interest (draft)
Maletta Hourigan                                     Financial
Diane O’Connor                                       Financial/organization
Eric Stoddard                                           Tech support/fundraising
Kate Shoemaker                                       Membership/organization
Kip Berrick                                               Legal
Dean Cook                                               Fundraising/operation
Joe Giorgano                                            Fundraising
Nancy Paquette                                        General
Laurel Carroll                                           Blog/communications
George Sperry                                         Networking
Art Hatfield                                              Financial
Conroy Peterson                                      Retail
Karen Hinkamp                                        Operation/inventory
Sylviane Acker                                        General
Denise St. Pierre                                      General
Jessica Paradis                                         Fundraising
Ross Kelley                                             General
Sharon Reynolds                                     General
Chattie Van Wert                                    General
Meg Parker                                             General

This group will meet the last week in May to organize and identify tasks and assignments. 

There will be communications throughout the summer to the entire volunteer list asking for your opinion on information that will be received and development through the committees.  We need your help! For example, we would like everyone to consider visiting co-ops throughout your travels and ask questions, pick up marketing materials to share with us, and take photos if possible.  We will be generating a list of questions you can bring with you on these visits.  The goal is to place the list of questions on the blog for your easy access.  Look for our emails soon.

More to come...

Vermont Food Coops

New York Food Coops

 

Newspaper coverage on project development

Since the project has started these are some articles in the local newspapers

http://www.denpubs.com/news/2013/jan/16/ticonderoga-food-co-op-can-succeed-according-repor/


http://www.denpubs.com/news/2013/apr/17/ticonderoga-food-co-op-discussion-progressing/


http://www.denpubs.com/news/2012/nov/29/ticonderoga-co-op-grocery-being-studied/


http://www.denpubs.com/news/2010/jun/04/ticonderoga-searches-for-grocery-alternative/


http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x520559172/Ticonderoga-heads-toward-food-co-op


http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x730428282/Ti-food-co-op-gets-rolling

Steering Committee and subcommittees

The Steering Committee

Overall Responsibility
The steering committee will coordinate all tasks needed to move the co-op from its early stages through the establishment of more formal structures.  Depending on the group’s time and resources, the committee may do the following tasks itself, or it may contract with outside consultants for professional assistance.

Specific responsibilities of the steering committee are listed below.  The primary qualifications to serve as a steering committee member are to possess the passion for this effort and to enjoy working and participating in a group.

§  Coordinate all research and information gathering

§  Survey potential members

§  Establish a membership structure

§  Report on the committee’s progress and coordinate meetings

§  If initial research shows that a co-op is feasible, oversee preparation of a business plan

A small group will be identified to handle public relations, including inquiries from the media and publicity about the co-op’s accomplishments and progress to ensure the accuracy of the co-op message.

Suggested Subcommittees

§  Planning Committee

Organizing Group:

Legal issues and policy development (review options for incorporation by researching other co-ops) and prepare articles of incorporation and bylaws. State/County registration (Department of Health) and site determination.

Operating Group:

Sourcing, ordering, inventory, packaging/repackaging, pricing, staffing, training, and quality procedures.

§  Finance Committee

Using the CDS Consultant’s excel format, develop financial projections, research funding options (including grants) and develop a fundraising plan. Coordinate a campaign for member loans.

§  Membership Committee

Research membership structures, coordinates recruitment of new members, organizes membership communications (newsletters, websites/blog, etc.) and meetings, survey members, and plans outreach to the community. A smaller group from this committee will be responsible for writing and approving all communications as noted above.

NOTE:  The above committees have been edited from the committees identified at the April 8^th meeting.  The Networking Committee which is vital in exploring the way other co-op’s are operating will not be a stand-alone committee but rather a function of all three committees.  We will need individuals in each committee who will be able to visit regional co-ops to gather first-hand information and bring that knowledge back to the specific committee. Volunteers who are interesting in networking should sign-up for one of the three committees above.

Cooperative Grocers Information Network 2002

7 Cooperative Principles

Window of PRIDE Office

The plan for the window development is to place a whiteboard on the easel to the right to provide updates, meeting times, as well as education.  The space to the left that is open is looking for suggestions and ideas to fill - one thought was to fill it with the mission or other information related to food co ops.

Agenda for April 8th and notes from previous meeting

Agenda for April 8th 2013 and notes from previous meeting

Mission Statement

• Purpose
• Reason for existence
• What and Why
• Living document

 
Provides the foundation for priorities, strategies, plans and work assignments. 
Reveals product or service.

Mission Comments

Ø  Sustainably-sourced products
Ø  To contribute to health and well being of people/community by providing wholesome foods
Ø  Buyers for members only – not selling for an industry.
Ø  Socially and environmentally responsible.
Ø  Minimize packaging/recycling
Ø  Support local farming community
Ø  Equal opportunity employment
Ø  Organic food
Ø  Open understanding – educational outreach to community
Ø  Truthful labeling

An organization’s mission statement is an important first step in defining a co-op’s reason for existence. 

 

The mission is supported by a set of values that define our standards.

 

We Value

 

Ø  Locally produced food and products
Ø  Highest quality, wholesome
Ø  Open membership
Ø  Cooperation with other co-op’s
Ø  One member, one vote
Ø  Affordable, low cost goods
Ø  Environmentally sensitive
Ø  Positive customer experience
Ø  Equal opportunity for all
Ø  Business integrity
Ø  Listening/responsive to ideas
Ø  Organic foods
Ø  Cost should not compromise quality
Ø  Fair trade with global sourcing – exploitation not allowed.
Ø  Open to all for access
Ø  Member discount
Ø  Support local farmers “Genesis”
Ø  Promote healthy lifestyle in our community

 Topics needing more discussion

                    “the parking lot”

Ø  Definition of membership categories
Ø  Employment
Ø  Definition of organic
Ø  Local “boundaries” definition
Ø  True cost
Ø  Education
Ø  SKU’s inventory
Ø  Expired “day old” product – food pantries