Round up for Hispanic Council

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The Lower Columbia Hispanic Council’s mission is the equitable integration of resident Hispanics into the broader social and economic fabric of the Lower Columbia community. The council is this month’s Change for Community recipient. Round up your purchase total or share your pocket change to support this local organization.

The council provides services and coordinates cultural events. Funds will go toward the council’s ongoing operations including but not limited to SNAP education and outreach, OHP enrollment, health education, census assistance, family engagement at schools, youth programs, civic engagement and advocacy.

Let’s raise funds for this awesome organization!

Click here to go to the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council’s web site.

Click here to learn more about our Change for Community program.

We’ll shop, you pick up

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Astoria Co+op is is offering curbside grocery pickup as a free community service during the pandemic to anyone who wants to shop from the comfort and safety of home. The service is available seven days a week with multiple options for pickup times throughout the day.

Some important tips:

  • Mercato, the platform we’re using, offers delivery in larger cities, but not in Astoria. Make sure you select the “I’ll pick it up” option, then you can choose a day/time that works for you.
  • Check the box “replace out of stock items” if you would like us to find comparable replacements on out of stock items. You can then choose whether you’d like to be contacted or not to verify whether the replacements are suitable.
  • Our store is located at 2350 Marine Drive in Astoria. We have dedicated curbside pickup parking spots near the entrance. Let the staff person stationed outside the store entrance know you’re here and we will bring your groceries out to your vehicle.
  • If you have any questions about online ordering, please call the store (503) 325-0027 or email [email protected].

Shop Mercato.com

If you need your groceries delivered, one option would be calling Downtown Taxi at (503) 791-6728 to arrange to have your order picked up at the co-op and delivered to your home. The company is charging a flat rate of $5 for delivery in Astoria-Warrenton.

Bakers Against Racism

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We’re participating in a nation-wide bake sale #BakersAgainstRacism to raise funds for organizations assisting black lives and combating racism. Buy one of our delicious strawberry-rhubarb pies and we’ll donate 100% of proceeds to Black United Fund of Oregon. We’re taking pre-orders now for pickup Saturday. Simply email our kitchen manager [email protected] to reserve your pie.

Our pies are made from scratch with organic rhubarb and local strawberries. Organic flour and butter make up the crust. These 9″ pies go for 12.99 each. Our bakers wanted to take part in this event to help spread some extra love to the black community. Thank you for considering participating!

Black Lives Matter

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Dear Community,

The Astoria Co+op management, staff, and board of directors feel sadness and pain regarding the tragic and inhumane death of George Floyd and the systemic racism that has led to many other inhumane Black deaths across the country.

As a small first step, our co-op has donated $500 to the Southern Poverty Law Center and $500 to the Equal Justice Initiative. Both organizations work to undo injustice and provide educational opportunities surrounding racial justice work.

National Co+op Grocers has spent considerable time and energy the last several years working on racial diversity, equity, and inclusion. I have been a part of this work as an NCG board member. Now, more than ever, is the time to take up this work in earnest at the local level.

For our co-op, it will start with education, making unconscious bias training part of our hiring, training, and board work. Improving diversity and inclusivity is not only the right thing to do, it will also strengthen our business and the positive impact we have on the community.

The world is in turmoil right now, but the viral, racism, and mental health pandemics are exposing many opportunities to make the world a better place. As our co-op navigates the daily challenges of operating a grocery store in this climate and continues to grow and mature as a business, we are committed to keeping the conversation going and working to find ways that a cooperative grocer can play its part in improving Black lives.

Sincerely,

Matt Stanley
Astoria Co+op General Manager

You can reach Matt at [email protected] or (503) 325-0027.

Free Curbside Pickup

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We’ve expanded our curbside grocery pickup program to anyone who wants to shop from the comfort and safety of home, seven days a week. This is a free community service your co-op is offering during the pandemic.

Some important tips:

  • The platform we’re using, Mercato, offers delivery in larger cities, but not in Astoria. Make sure you select the “I’ll pick it up” option, then you can choose a day/time that works for you.
  • Check the box “replace out of stock items” if you would like us to find comparable replacements on out of stock items. You can then choose whether you’d like to be contacted or not to verify whether the replacements are suitable.
  • Our store is located at 2350 Marine Drive in Astoria. We have dedicated curbside pickup parking spots near the entrance. Let the staff person stationed outside the store entrance know you’re here and we will bring your groceries out to your vehicle.
  • If you have any questions about online ordering, please call the store (503) 325-0027 or email [email protected].

Shop Mercato.com

If you need your groceries delivered, one option would be calling Downtown Taxi at (503) 791-6728 to arrange to have your order picked up at the co-op and delivered to your home. The company is charging a flat rate of $5 for delivery in Astoria-Warrenton.

New Doughnuts!

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If you’d like to sink your teeth into a freshly baked co-op doughnut, you can reserve a box by emailing our prepared foods manager, Andy Catalano [email protected]. Doughnuts are only available weekends at the co-op and they’ve proven to be such a hit that we’re taking orders, with just a limited about available first come, first served. A mixed box of six costs 9.99. Email Andy and let him know if you’d like our bakers to set some aside for you, specify Saturday or Sunday and please plan on picking them up before noon (we open at 9am). Thank you and enjoy!

May Owner Appreciation

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For safety, we don’t want to concentrate a large amount of shoppers in the store during a one week period as we normally do for owner appreciation week, so co-op owners will have all month to choose a discount shop.

Here’s how it works: get 10% off a purchase under $100, 15% off a purchase of $100 or more or 20% off a purchase of $150 or more. Equity must be up-to-date to receive discount. Applies to items in stock and does not stack with case discounts.

Thanks so much for your support!

Not a co-op owner? You’re always welcome to shop. Learn more about becoming a co-op owner.

Owner discounts must be redeemed by shopping in the store as we don’t currently have a way to do this with online shopping.

Double Up Food Bucks Launch

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Our co-op will be the first grocery store in Oregon to launch the healthy food incentive program Double Up Food Bucks starting this May. After success at farmer’s markets, the program is extending to a small number of grocery stores.

“Double Up Food Bucks puts more healthy food on the plates of low-income families, while supporting local growers,” said Astoria Co+op General Manager Matt Stanley. “We’re supporting our customers while helping grow a healthier community.”

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.

The Oregon Legislature approved $1.5 million in the 2019-2021 biennium budget to continue and expand Double Up. The Oregon Food Bank is administering the Double Up grocery pilot program in cooperation with the Fair Food Network and Farmers Market Fund.

“Double Up Food Bucks is proven to be a model that supports low-income families to bring home more fruits and vegetables, local growers to sell more produce, and more food dollars to stay in the local economy, not just in Oregon, but around the country. Expanding the program to retail outlets, like Astoria Co+op will further support local businesses and growers while providing low-income community members with year-round access to quality fruits and vegetables,” said Ryan Schoonover, Oregon Food Bank’s, Double Up Grocery Coordinator.

According to program leaders, only 11% of Oregonians consume enough fruit and vegetables for a healthy life. For the one in six Oregonians experiencing food insecurity, eating the recommended servings of produce is not affordable. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of many serious and chronic conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

If you have any questions about the program, contact Astoria Co+op Marketing Director Zetty Nemlowill at [email protected].

Click here for a printable Double Up Food Bucks flyer.

 

Fundraiser for Guy

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Update: It is with heavy hearts, we share the news that Guy passed away. We’re glad he had the opportunity to hear from so many of you and to know his final medical costs won’t burden his family. Thank you for all the expressions of love you have sent his way. They meant the world to Guy as community was everything to him.

Our beloved cashier Guy Rabe has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. We are raising funds to help his family with medical bills and other expenses. Our general manager, Matt Stanley has set up a fundraiser via Go Fund Me. We know this is a tough time for everyone, but if you’re able to spare anything, we know Guy and his family could use the help and we’re grateful for any contribution.

Guy has worked as a cashier at the co-op the last two and half years. Over that time we’ve seen him demonstrate a true love for people and our community. He prided himself on building relationships with shoppers.

Many folks may not know that Guy spent 20 years working with the chronically homeless of Portland. Helping them connect to resources, giving moral support, and so much more.

Guy moved to Astoria in 2017 and bought a home with plans of living out his life here on the coast. He recently sustained an injury and was diagnosed with a terminal illness that will not allow him to work anymore.

Guy is a very private person, but cared very much for our community and regulars he interacted with, so if you have a message for him, please reply to this email and we will share it with him. We’re all very sad about this news and miss seeing Guy at work. We want him and his family to be as comfortable as possible right now. Thanks so much for you love and support!