Annual Meeting

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Update: our first ever virtual annual meeting is in the books. If you are a co-op owner who missed the meeting and would like to view a recording, please email [email protected] for instructions. 

This year’s annual meeting will be like no other! You can attend in your slippers if you want, because for the first time, our meeting will be held online. This will ensure safe physical distancing in the midst of a pandemic while allowing our cooperative model to flourish.

The meeting will be on Sunday, October 25 at 4–5:30pm via Zoom. Anyone who is a co-op owner can attend. Click on this link to register. For security reasons, please register no later than October 23. You will receive details on joining the meeting once we approve your registration.

The meeting will include reports on governance, operations and finance, the launch of new online board elections, opportunity for Q & A and more. If you would like to submit a question prior to the meeting, you can email our general manager at [email protected].

We look forward to connecting and hope you can attend this historic co-op event! If you cannot attend, the meeting will be recorded for later viewing.

Solar Project

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By Matt Stanley/Astoria Co+op General Manager

We’re getting solar! The project got delayed due to costs and the pandemic but it’s back on track, with the install of solar posts on the roof. The panels might not go up until spring, but this is an important step toward better environmental and financial sustainability!

This week, a crew has been installing the solar posts that will connect the panel mounting hardware to the structural elements of the building so the panels can withstand high winds.

We were on a path to opening the new store with functional solar, but construction expenses with the general build-out forced us hold off on installing panels. Fortunately though, during construction, we were able to prep the building to be solar-ready, structurally and electrically. Responding to the pandemic didn’t make things easier, and the project had to be moved to the back burner until now.

Timing is critical, as we have two outstanding grants, one from USDA and one from Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program that we do not want to lose. A collaboration with the solar company Elemental Energy is allowing us to complete the project financially; a great long-term investment for the co-op.

The system will be approximately 60 kW, resulting in an approximate savings of $500 monthly in the co-op’s electrical bills. This represents about a third of our total energy usage. As energy costs increase, the savings over the life of the project will be significant. One estimate shows the co-op will save nearly $1 million in electrical expenses over 25 years! I will be able to share more specifics as the project progresses.

The co-op’s rooftop solar project reflects our cooperative model’s emphasis on environmental stewardship and we will be proud to show that a coastal business can successfully take advantage of solar energy. Stay tuned for more information and some neat drone photography of our panel installation!

Fall 2020 Update

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We continue to maintain our safety protocols here at the co-op. As we head into winter these safety measures will be even more important. Mask-wearing is top priority, and we consistently remind shoppers who are wearing their masks below their noses to ensure they cover both their nose and mouth. If your mask falls off inadvertently, expect to get a pleasant reminder from a staff member to correct it. We’ve also restricted the use of face shields and masks with respirators, as the CDC does not find that they protect others from potential spread.

We do face some upset shoppers associated with mask compliance, and we are actively training our staff to approach these situations with compassion first and firmness when needed. De-escalation training is now a part of working at the co-op. For those who don’t have a proper mask or who forget to bring one, we’ve got free masks available at the entrance. For folks who are not able or are unwilling to wear a mask, we offer a reasonable accommodation with free curbside pickup.

You may also notice that we do not have a greeter stationed outside. The poor air quality associated with the wildfires forced us to bring those staff inside for safety reasons. It also gave us a sense of how we can operate without that role as we head into the rainy winter. We now offer alcohol wipes for shoppers to sanitize their cart before shopping. We continue to sanitize carts as well, but the wipes ensure that you have a clean cart. Please return your used carts to the cart corrals in the parking lot.

Our shoppers have been overwhelmingly positive and happy to comply with our safety measures, and the staff truly appreciates the cooperation! Together we can #stopthespread and keep our community as safe as possible. You can reach out to me with questions or feedback at [email protected].

Garden Refresh

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You may have noticed mountains of soil in our parking lot and extra hands hard at work around our landscaping. Gardener Becky Graham has defended our beautiful plants from being overtaken by hoards of invasive Horsetail that sprouted up from construction soil. She’s amending the soil naturally; a big step toward making an even bigger vision of hers a reality.

“I love creating sanctuary in the landscape: a relaxing, beautiful, inviting outdoor living space for all…humans, and wildlife. It all starts with healthy soil, and a healthy soil food web. Next, plants that thrive in our environment without the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. I use a mixture of plants for pollinators, edibles, natives, and ornamentals with four seasons of interest,” Becky said.

Customers, neighbors and others strolling by often stop to admire the gardens and Becky loves all the positive feedback.

“I have enjoyed hearing from our customers over the years that tell me they appreciate what I do. It fuels my passion, and makes my job not seem like a job at all. It is a pleasure, and an honor to have the opportunity to share my love of plants, and nature in such a beautiful space in our community,” she said.

The co-op prioritizes creating a welcoming environment and showcasing nature is one way to do that.

“The landscaping at the co-op is the customer’s first impression of the shopping experience. Becky does an amazing job ensuring that the garden around the building reflects the high quality, healthy, and vibrant environment inside the store,” Co-op General Manager Matt Stanley said.

Becky started gardening for the co-op at our former location in the spring of 2014 when all we had was our small “parking lot garden”. Now landscaping surrounds every side of our new building and medians throughout the parking lot. You can also see her work inside the store next to the deli seating area and mural.

Here is a gallery of photos Becky took outside our store.

Double Up Food Bucks Survey

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If you have participated in the Double Up Food Bucks program this year, your feedback is needed!

Our co-op was thrilled to start offering Double Up Food Bucks earlier this year. After success at farmer’s markets, the program extended to a small number of grocery stores in Oregon for the first time. Double Up puts more healthy fresh produce on the plates of low income families while supporting local growers. Double Up matches the value of SNAP spent on fresh fruits and vegetables providing shoppers with credit for future produce purchases, up to $10 per shopping trip. (SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.)

If you have been a recipient of Double Up this year, our partners at Oregon Food Bank want to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to complete a short survey about your experience using Double Up.

Click here for a survey in English

​Click here for a survey in Spanish

If you prefer, you can text “DUFBGROCERY” to 833-535-1376 to take the survey on your smart phone or other device. Your survey responses will help improve the program, and help inform program funders on why they should continue to support Double Up. The survey should take about five minutes to complete, and it will be available through October. All responses will be confidential and you do not need to provide your name or contact information unless you would like to have us contact you about your experiences using this program.

More information about Double Up Food Bucks

Fall Immunity

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By Katie Valdez/Wellness Manager

Our immune system is comprised of complex biological structures and processes that defend our body against invading viruses, toxins, and bacteria. The most important ways to bolster your immune system year-round is to ensure that you’re consuming a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and regularly exercising. However, there are also supplements that can help if you are looking for additional immune support. Here are some of my personal favorites: 

Abiqua Naturals Elderberry Boost (Bend, Oregon)

This herbal tonic is packed full of potent free radical scavenging vitamins and anthocyanins. Elderberries have been used for centuries because of their immune supporting ability, helping maintain health and well-being.  

Host Defense Mushrooms Stamets 7 (Olympia, Washington) 

Stamets 7 is a blend of seven different mushrooms that helps build foundational immunity. Each species of mushroom provides its own uniquely supportive properties, all together offering robust support for your immunity. 

Herb Pharm Rapid Immune Boost (Williams, Oregon) 

This fast absorbing blend of Echinacea, Goldenseal, Osha, Black Elderberry and other liquid herbal extracts support a powerful response to immune system distress. 

Herb Pharm immunity boosters are on sale through September 29.

If you have any questions about these products or other wellness department inquires, you can contact Katie at [email protected].

Wildfire Relief

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To help our fellow Oregonians impacted by wildfires, your co-op has donated $500 to the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is helping to shelter families, provide meals, support emergency responders, deliver relief supplies and a whole lot more.

We appreciate your support which allows us to give during this challenging time.

Day of Caring

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We are gathering essential goods for our community by participating in United Way of Clatsop County’s 2020 Day of Caring on Saturday, September 12th from 9am to 1pm. We will be asking shoppers to donate needed items including non-perishable food which we will bring to a collection site.

The local United Way is working hard to meet the needs of our community and due to the challenges of COVID-19, is coming together in support of United Way Partner Agencies and the people they serve with essential and emergency needs.

You can help by donating the following:

  • Food – Non perishable food items, breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks
  • Dental Care – Toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss
  • Personal Care Items – Soap, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper
  • Safety Items – PPE, face masks (medical of cloth) medical gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes
  • Kids Comfort – Blanket, plush toy, books and games (all items must be new)
  • Baby Care – Diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food, baby clothes (must be new)
  • Pet Care – Pet food, treats and toys
  • Financial Stability – Gas cards, bus passes, grocery store gift card, pre-paid phone
  • Inspirational Cards – Handwritten words of encouragement for students and educators

There will be three official donation drop off locations: Columbia River Maritime Museum, Seaside Factory Outlet Mall and Astoria Ford. Volunteers will be on hand to collect items from your vehicle and give donation receipts. We will deliver all items donated by our shoppers to the Maritime Museum site.

You can also help by rounding up your purchase total to benefit United Way when shopping at the co-op in September. Learn more about our Change for Community program.

Visit www.clatsopunitedway.org for more information about the Day of Caring or to make a direct donation.

It pays to be a co-op owner!

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Temporary increase in owner benefits…

Co-op owners can save 10% on a shopping trip every month for the rest of the year starting in September! That is twice as many discounts as previously scheduled. We hope this temporary increase in owner benefits will help you, the co-op and local economy.

We realize times are tough financially for many people and hope more frequent discounts will make it easier to stock up on groceries. Having a whole month to use a discount should prevent the crowding that can occur with our current model of a tiered discount week once per quarter and help ensure enough space for safe physical distancing in the store.

An increase in owner discounts could result in an increase in co-op revenue. Your dollars will help offset costs associated with operating in a pandemic. Hopefully, this will also be a boon to our many local purveyors who have been impacted by the economic downturn.

How it Works

If you are a co-op owner who is up to date on equity payments, it is easy to use your monthly discount shop. In September, October, November and December, simply choose the shopping trip you would like to save on and let a cashier know at checkout that you would like to use your discount. If you are using our curbside pickup program, we can provide you with a discount code to use at checkout. Please contact [email protected] for more information. Owner discounts apply to items in stock at time of purchase and do not stack with case discounts.

The Future of Owner Benefits

Monthly discounts may not be financially sustainable for the co-op long-term, which is why we are calling this plan “temporary”.  Co-op management will reevaluate after December and could revert to quarterly owner appreciation weeks. The goal will be to balance a tangible owner benefit with the viability of our business. Please keep up to date with changes by reading co-op emails. As a co-op owner, your economic participation is truly needed now more than ever, and we hope you will shop at the co-op regularly in addition to your discount shopping trips. Thank you so much for your support!

Not a co-op owner? It is easy to join and if you do so now, you could save 10% off on a shopping trip every month for the rest of 2020! Click here for more information about co-op ownership.

Record Donation

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We raised a record amount—nearly $4K—in just a month for Consejo Hispano (formerly Lower Columbia Hispanic Council). Our cashier Mason who raised more than $600 himself presented our giant check to council reps. Big thanks to our generous community for rounding up!

“Community donations allow Consejo Hispano to respond to the diverse and sometimes emergency needs of the Latinx community that aren’t covered by our grant funding. For example, donations in March, April and May of this year allowed us to buy and distribute over 1000 fabric face masks, hand sanitizer and other basic needs that families and individuals didn’t have access to during the start of COVID-19,” Consejo Hispano Executive Director Jenny Pool Radway said.

Consejo Hispano’s mission is the equitable integration of resident Hispanics into the broader social and economic fabric of the Lower Columbia community.

In addition to monetary donations, there are other ways to get involved including volunteering. If you’re interested, click here to fill out an interest form. You can follow Consejo Hispano on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date on events you can participate in.

Through our Change for Community program, we’ve raised $43,864.28 in cash donations for local non-profits. Learn more…