Members Only - First Indy Food Co-op Member-Owner Meeting Set for May 13

Members of the Indy Food Co-op are invited to the Indy Food Co-op's inaugral owner-member meeting, to be held Wednesday, May 13, from 6 - 8 pm at the John H Boner Center, 2236 E 10th Street.

Please bring your favorite dish for a pitch-in social hour from 6 - 7 pm, followed by the first ever owner-member business meeting from 7 - 8 pm.

* Find out about the co-ops progress towards securing a building
* Learn about volunteer opportunities
* Give input on your preferences
* Meet other owner-members and the board
* Vote on board term limits
* Get questions answered!

1) BRING YOUR FAVORITE DISH
We'll be having a pitch-in dinner prior to the business meeting. Bring your favorite, healthy dish to share with your fellow member-owners.

2) BRING YOUR FAVORITE, HEALTHY RECIPE
Indy Food Co-op will be publishing a cookbook of our owner-members' favorite recipes! An old family favorite or something you've created -- we are looking for the best recipes to include in the Indy Food Co-op owner-member cookbook (complete the recipe on the form you will be e-mailed to ensure that all formats are consistent).

3) Please RSVP by Monday, May 11, so that we can adequately plan.

Parking: Parking for the Boner Center is located behind the building, in the parking lot just east of the building, on 10th Street, or in the Burger King parking lot. Enter the building from the back (north) side.

It's an exciting time to be a part of Indy's first member-owned, non-profit cooperative grocery store. Don't miss our very first official Indy Food Co-op member-owner meeting!

We hope to see you there!

Questions? E.mail: indyfoodcoop@yahoo.com , or call: 317.631.2220, or visit www.IndyFoodCoop.org

April 18 Update from the Indy Food Co-op!

Plans for Indy's first non-profit, member-owned grocery store are moving forward as the board works to negotiate a location, secure grant funding, determine equipment needs and much, much more! We hope to have more details to announce very soon, so stay tuned! And, here is more information we hope you find helpful.....

SPRING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Indy Food Co-op is pleased to announce that we now have secured 167 member households representing more than 300 co-op shoppers! This is a fabulous start, but we need 500 members to really make a new food co-op economically viable. So, we want to continue to build our membership in the community, and there is no better ambassador for our message that you -- the member-owners of the co-op! Here's the deal: From now through June 30, 2009, for every new member referred to the Indy Food Co-op by an existing member, the existing member will receive a $10 gift certificate for the co-op at the store grand opening! That's right....if you refer three new member households, then you receive $30 in food co-op products; five new member households, $50!
Conditions apply: Only existing members are eligible; Indy Food Co-op board members are not eligible; new member must state the name of the person who referred them on their membership application; promotion only good through April 15 - June 30, 2009.

MEMBER MEETING IN MAY
The Indy Food Co-op intends to conduct its first membership meeting in May 2009. As soon as we secure the meeting location, we'll let you know the details. One clue: gather your favorite, healthy recipe - you'll need it very soon!

FOOD SAFETY IN THE NEWS
With recent recalls of jalapenos, tomatoes, spinach, and most recently peanuts, more people are questioning the safety of our national food systems. This concern has sparked several pieces of legislation by Congress. Indy Food Co-op has received numerous e-mails from those concerned that should these food safety bills became law, it would over-burden small, local, organic farmers, processors and distributors. In response, the Indy Food Co-op met with Congressman Andre Carson's office (representing the seventh district, Indianapolis in the US House of Representative and a co-sponsor of one of the bills of greatest concern). Since Congress works on a two-year cycle, and all of the food safety bills floating around Congress will ultimately be merged into a single bill in committee, we have been urged to wait to provide feedback on a bill until a single bill exists that is most likely to move forward. At that time, the Indy Food Co-op would like to convene a public meeting with the Congressman's office to allow our members, suppliers, vendors and friends to provide constructive input on the bill to ensure that it provides for a safe national food systems without being overly burdensome to those growing and promoting local, fresh, organic food!

CO-OP BROCHURE AVAILABLE IN SPANISH
Thanks to co-op member Felipe Martinez, we now have our Indy Food Co-op information and membership brochure translated into Spanish. If you know of Spanish-speaking folks in the community who might have an interest in the co-op, please request a Spanish-version brochure to share with them!

THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS!
Quite a few Indy Food Co-op members are eager to help out in some way and are already volunteering to assist. A special thanks to Laura Salyer for assisting with the co-op website and helping lay out ads! That's a big help and allows us all to save money on this important task!

INDY FOOD CO-OP AROUND TOWN
Please join Indy Food Co-op at one of the upcoming events:

• April 22: Indianapolis City Market Earth Day Event, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, free to the public
• April 25: Earth Day Indiana Festival, 11 am - 4 pm, downtown Indianapolis, free to the public
• April 25: Arts on the Green, Arsenal Technical High School campus
• April 25: Herron-Morton Neighborhood Green Spring Up - presentation by Indy Food Co-op
• June 13: INDIEana Handicraft Fair, 11 am - 10 pm, June 13, Harrison Center for the Arts, free to the public - Indy Food Co-op is the premier sponsor of this event; www.indieanahandicraftexchange.com

We hope to see you at one of these events over the coming weeks and welcome those who would like to help us staff a booth!

Thank you for your on-going support of the Indy Food Co-op and making Indianapolis healthier by supporting local, fresh, organic food!

Indy Food Co-op is NUVO Cover Story

Be sure and check out this week's issue of NUVO Newsweekly, where the Indy Food Co-op is the cover story, along with other stories about local food and urban gardening projects.

Or, check out the story on-line at: NUVO (Cover) 3/18/09: Downtown farmers dig deep - http://tinyurl.com/crowyq

Indy Food Coop is proud to bring to Indianapolis the award-winning Skydancer Productions documentary film "Heart & Soil" on Friday, February 27, 2009. The film will screen at the Harrison Center for the Arts, Gallerey 2, located at 1506 N. Delaware. A panel discussion on local food issues will follow the film.

Doors open at 5:30 pm; Event begins at 6:00 pm. Family-friendly event. Members FREE; $10 entrance for others 18 and over (which can be applied to a membership during the evening events). Light refreshments.


About the film: HEART & SOIL, a 45 minute family documentary, offers hope for our planet. This uplifting movie clips along with the pace of barefoot children and frolicking livestock,taking us on a journey into the rich landscape and lives of small scale farming, the bustling energy of farmers’ markets and farm to school programs. HEART & SOIL has been called “a love song for farmers,” those stalwart keepers of the earth who speak with passion on diverse topics including animal husbandry, soil science and climate change. HEART & SOIL also touches on the darker side of agriculture: the corporate extractive system that produces—not only most of the food we eat—but global warming. For more information, visit: www.HeartAndSoilFilm.com

Indy Food Coop Nears 150 Founding Members - Mark Calendar for Feb 27 Film!

Indy Food Coop is still seeking 150 Founding Member households, but time is running out! To date, over 135 households have joined. While you can always join the coop (there is no limit to the number of members the coop can have - the more the better), time is drawing near for Founding Memberships! Join today: www.indyfoodcoop.org

Indy Food Coop is proud to bring to Indianapolis the award-winning Skydancer Productions documentary film "Heart & Soil" on Friday, February 27, 2009. The film will screen at the Harrison Center for the Arts, Gallerey 2, located at 1506 N. Delaware. A panel discussion on local food issues will follow the film. Family-friendly event. Members attend at no charge; $10 entrance for others 18 and over (which can be applied to a membership during the evening events). Details coming soon.


About the film: HEART & SOIL, a 45 minute family documentary, offers hope for our planet. This uplifting movie clips along with the pace of barefoot children and frolicking livestock,taking us on a journey into the rich landscape and lives of small scale farming, the bustling energy of farmers’ markets and farm to school programs. HEART & SOIL has been called “a love song for farmers,” those stalwart keepers of the earth who speak with

passion on diverse topics including animal husbandry, soil science and climate change. HEART & SOIL also touches on the darker side of agriculture: the corporate extractive system that produces—not only most of the food we eat—but global warming. For more information, visit: www.HeartAndSoilFilm.com

Check out the new Indy Food Coop website at:

www.indyfoodcoop.org

Indy Food Cooperative Founding 150

Membership Kick-off Event Big Success!
We had a fantastic turnout at the November 8 Founding 150 Kick-off at Earth House Coffeehouse. With people lined up out the door at 10 minutes to 6 and Sarah Grain's music to set the tone, things were buzzing. Over 200 attended and 30 new members sign up at the event with dozens more pledging to send their check as soon as they got home. For the board, it was very gratifying and validating to see so many people excited about the possibility of opening a non-profit storefront food co-op on the east side of downtown.

If you know that this food co-op is something that you would like to see happen, that you would like to have this store available to shop at, then please invest NOW. The faster we get people signed onto this, the sooner we will have a local store selling food we can trust. Plus you'll get your name on that cool Founding members plaque!

Food Co-op Q & A

Why the cooperative model for a grocery store?
A cooperative is based on a group of people coming together to meet a need. In this case, a group of us (who started out as interested parties and now make up the board) have come together with the goal of filling a grocery need in our community. As a non-profit grocer, we believe that we can meet the need for fresh, local, organic and affordable produce and products in a way that for-profit supermarkets are not. Collectively, we are working together to get a storefront grocery to fill this gap.

When will the store be open?
We expect to open our store "First Harvest" 2009 (mid-summerish).

What is a Founding Member (Founding 150)?
We are currently seeking 150 people to make an equity investment of $150 in the co-op. This special group of members will be our "Founding Members." For each $150, you receive:
One (1) membership with up to three (3) shopper’s cards
One (1) vote in all general membership elections

Member benefits include:

• Discounts on selected products throughout the store
• Bulk and case order discounts
• Discount on co-op classes and events
• Co-op newsletter
• Ability to run for elected office on board of directors seat
• Founding member gift
• Name on a plaque at the front of the store

This is a lifetime membership, and only a small, annual administration fee will be required (expected to be around $5 - $10).

These Founding Memberships will be available until December 31, 2008, at which time our standard membership scenario will kick in (see below for more information).

Why become a Founding Member?
The basis of a cooperative is a common goal -- in this case, access to healthy food -- and to be successful as a food cooperative, we require the commitment of many people in our community to support it’s efforts by becoming members and shopping at the store for daily food needs. Becoming a founding member is critical in our necessity to determine that there is a broad base of community support for our effort – nothing says commitment like investment! In addition, as a non-profit storefront food cooperative, we will have access to start-up assistance dollars and grants. Funders need to see that an organization that they fund has the support of the community. Founding membership opportunities are common among other cooperatives across the U.S., and is an important first step for Indy Food Co-op. The membership fee is only a small, but important part of an organization’s overall revenue.

What will a standard membership after the Founding Member period cost?
While all the details are yet to be finalized, it is anticipated that after the Founding Member period, the membership will look something like this:

• 1 time equity-investment per membership (Amount to be determined)
• 1 application fee per shoppers card (Most likely $25 per card)
• Minimal yearly maintenance fee (approximately $5 - 10) to facilitate keeping our membership files up to date. This fee applies to Founding Members too.
• The benefits of the standard membership will be similar to the founding members with only a few exceptions.

Do I have to volunteer time to be a member?
No, there is no requirement of volunteering for the cooperative with a membership. We do hope to offer opportunities to volunteer and participate in aspects of the store, but basic operations will be undertaken by paid staff.

Do I have to join to shop at the store?
No, anyone will be able to shop at the store. However, only members will be able to take advantage of discounts, voting rights and eligibility for a board position.

What is the name of the store?
The board is considering three different possible names for the store. At the membership kick-off meeting, we enlisted feedback from attendees on the name which will help us determine the final name. We will announce that name in the near future.

What is the location of the store?
The location of the store will be just east of downtown Indianapolis. We seek a location that will provide a neighborhood feel, but is also accessible by interstate, bus, bike and foot. We are currently working to negotiate a facility at 10th and Hamilton Streets. It provides the necessary 6,000 s.f. of space, adequate parking, and the opportunity for expansion in the future.

What products will the store carry?
The focus of the store is to support local, fresh, organic and affordable products. These products include produce, dairy products, meat and poultry, fresh and frozen items, bulk goods, baked goods, personal care products and more. A few convention and/or name brand products may also be available. Over time, we will seek value-added opportunities, such as a deli, a coffee shop or a bakery. All the products are intended to support a healthier way of life for those who live in and around Indianapolis.

I have more questions about benefits?
To follow is some additional information about each benefit offered by the cooperative:
In addition to having 1 vote per membership on general membership matters the other benefits of joining are:

• Member-owners only discounts on select items throughout the store;

Although Co-ops have in the past largely offered a flat discount on all member purchases time has shown this to be an unsustainable policy. Co-ops that have used this set up have continued to struggle economically for decades despite strong community support because they are "refunding" profit before they're even positive they have one. We have chosen to offer only selected discounts. How we see this working is if periodically we get one of our standard items in at a savings over typical costs (which happens quite often in produce and grocery wholesale) we'll pass this savings on to our member-owners only. Or a seasonally appropriate item (like Turkeys at Thanksgiving) may be offered at a discount for our member-owners. We may also offer coupons or have a discount day where member-owners can get a 10% discount on their entire order.

• Discounts on bulk and case orders;

When members special order a case from one of our suppliers we will offer it at a very slight % above wholesale

• Discounts on co-op classes and events;

We're planning a very extensive educational component to be a cornerstone of our co-op concept. Cooking, baking, gardening, menu-planning, etc... all of these will be offered either at a discount or free to our member-owners.

• Ability to hold elected office on our Board of Directors;

Our Co-op is essentially a representative Democracy. You choose the Members of the Board and they decide most issues. All Board meetings are open to members and record of the meetings will be made available. And there are methods of redress should a member-owner feel that an issue needs to be considered by the entire membership. (We'll be posting our bylaws soon.)

• Co-op Newsletter;

Again an education aspect will be a major part of our business. Newsletters will include articles on various food issues, recipes, community highlights, gardening tips... . A formal outlet for our membership to share their various knowledge with one another.

• A membership gift;

A sturdy canvas tote/shopping bag with our logo is what we're thinking.
There are a handful of other benefits still being considered by the board. We have been striving toward consensus and although there is overwhelming support for these benefits, some concerns of various board members have yet to be adequately addressed and thus they have not yet been included.

Note: There will be NO mandatory work requirements or purchase minimums. These are not in keeping with our mission and vision.

Who is on the Indy Food Cooperative Board?
Kyle Hendrix, President
Joshua Bowling, Vice President
Dani Cunningham-Dawson, Secretary
Mary Bowling, Treasurer
Katherine Ogawa, Recording Secretary
Chris Barnett
Mark Saetre
Deborah Sluss
Darren Allumier
Laura Henderson
Julie L. Rhodes