Food Co-op Initiative

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Food Co-op Initiative

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Starting a food co-op? Start here. We answer questions, spread great ideas, and share success stories. Starting a new food co-op? Have a question about organizing?

We want to hear from you and find out how we can help! We have a long list of how-to's and recorded webinar training sessions on our website. We're here to help!

10/15/2026

Special thank you, Wheatsfield Cooperative and your community, for choosing us for this month’s Change for Community program!

Wheatsfield, in Ames, IA, has been open for ✨52 years✨ and started as a buying club operating on Iowa State University’s campus.

Now, they have over 8K member-owners.

Thank you again, Wheatsfield and the community members who are rounding up at the register for your support of Food Co-op Initiative and the startup food co-op movement!

https://www.wheatsfield.coop/october-2026-change-for-community-food-co-op-initiative

10/13/2026

Happy 3rd Anniversary of Opening to Dorchester Food Co-op in Dorchester, MA! 🎉

Their mission is to provide better access to wholesome food for the community and to build a stronger, local economy.

Some of their values include:

- sourcing culturally relevant foods
- utilizing business practices that are good for both people & the environment
- serving as a community hub for people to share ideas

Don’t miss the 3rd Anniversary Party happening Saturday, October 24 from 1 pm to 5 pm. There will be a dessert swap, awards and in-store surprises!

And tomorrow (Wednesday, October 14) you can shop a special 10% discount.

Congratulations, Dorchester 🎉

📍 Address: 195 Bowdoin St., Dorchester, MA 02122

10/11/2026

Startup food co-ops who have participated in the Food Co-op Initiative peer learning groups now have another program specifically for strengthening your business development skills!

The Development Cooperative of National Co+op Grocers is launching their Co+op University program next year 👀

Startups in the DC University (DC U) program, beginning March 2027, can expect:

-Business training that covers crucial feasibility components of building your co-op
- Personalized TA from industry professionals
- An intro to NCG membership, its value and benefits
- and more

Learn more about this program, the application process and costs in the webinar happening this *Tuesday, October 13* at 1 pm Eastern / 12 pm Central.

‭→ Register TODAY: d22f1fa3-f631-473a-a3b4-30160d1a1af6@83a9b50f-4493-4c8b-9eba-5e944cd69174" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d22f1fa3-f631-473a-a3b4-30160d1a1af6@83a9b50f-4493-4c8b-9eba-5e944cd69174

The webinar is free to join and if you can’t make it, you’ll get the recording.

10/10/2026

Raleigh community members have so much to celebrate in the month of October!

Fertile Ground Food Cooperative - FGFC, a Black led food co-op in Southeast Raleigh, has not one but *TWO* events that you can be a part a Black led food co-op in Southeast Raleigh, has not one but *TWO* events that you can be a part of this month.

First, is the Harvest Gala, ‍a celebration of Fertile Ground's past, present, and future that will take place at All Faiths Chapel in Dix Park on Saturday, Oct 17 at 6 pm Eastern.

There will be an incredible multi-course buffet and renowned cooperator, Malik Yakini of Detroit People's Food Co-op and Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network will deliver a powerful keynote.

Individual tickets cost $100.

Sign up using the link in Fertile Ground's bio.

Next is the store groundbreaking on Saturday, Oct 24 at 11:15 am Eastern.

This event is open to the public and a great way to celebrate another milestone towards opening this community-owned grocery store.

Right before the groundbreaking will be a members-only meeting starting at 10 am.

RSVP for the event using the link in the Fertile Ground Food Cooperative - FGFC bio.

Congratulations to Fertile Ground!

Not in Raleigh, NC?

Share this with your community so it can reach more people in the area!

10/09/2026

Thank you to the Roanoke Co+op in Roanoke, VA for donating to FCI - welcome to our 2026 Full Circle supporters map!

Roanoke GM Bruce Phelgar shares why he believes in donating to FCI and putting his co-op on our Full Circle supporters map year after year:

"My maternal grandmother, Claudia Fields, lived by the adage, “If you want to have a friend, be a friend.” Throughout my childhood, I watched her show up for family, friends, and people she hoped to know. Through countless acts of intentional kindness, she enriched her own life and changed many others for the better. For two decades, FCI has shown up for friends and strangers alike, enriching and transforming lives in communities across the United States. Roanoke Co-op supports FCI’s work because showing up for one another - matters."

Three more co-ops have joined the Full Circle map this week alone - we have a lot of "thank you" posts to catch up on! As of today, we are just a hair shy of $72,000 in Full Circle co-op donations out of our total $110,000 needed by the end of 2026. - that's *another* $6000 jump since our last post, let's keep this momentum going!

Learn about the three easy ways *your* co-op can donate to FCI and get on our 2026 Full Circle map at www.fci.coop/full-circle !

10/08/2026

Happy 9th Anniversary of Opening to Morrisville Food Co-op in Morrisville, VT 🎉🎉

Open since 2017, they feature products from 120+ providers from within a 100-mile range.

This community-owned market is dedicated to the well-being of people as well as providing local and organic food and products to the consumers of Morrisville.

Congratulations, Morrisville Food Co-op!

📍Location: 46 Pleasant Street, Morrisville, VT 05661

10/06/2026

Food Co-op Initiative is well-represented at this week’s IMPACT 2026 conference organized by U.S. Co-ops

Be sure to chat with:

- JQ Hannah, Executive Director
- Gabby Davis, Board Member
- Richard Dines, Board Member

about all things food co-ops.
Don’t forget that both Gabby and JQ will be speaking on the IMPACT stage.

Stay tuned for a recap if you are not able to join this year's event.

10/05/2026

Thank you for celebrating co-op month by "rounding up" at the register for Food Co-op Initiative, Dill Pickle Food Co-op , South Philly Food Co-op , and Spiral Food Co-op !

Did you know that one way your food co-op can be an annual Full Circle donor to our work is to choose us as a beneficiary of your co-op's "round up at the register" program? We even provide a round up materials packet for your marketing team with Q&A sheets about our work for your staff, half-sheet flyers about why to round up for FCI you can print and put out at your register, Canva templates to drop your co-op's logo into, and more!

We are officially $69,706 toward our minimum $110,000 Full Circle funding goal for 2026 as of today with 22 co-ops pledged to donate directly, through their "round up program", or through two other means we'll be sharing more details on later this week.

You can pick the way to donate that most works for *your* co-op, if you'd like to discuss the options we'd love to talk with you, reach out to JQ Hannah, our Executive Director, at [email protected] !

09/28/2026

Thank you to the Basics Cooperative in Janesville, WI for donating to FCI - welcome to our 2026 Full Circle supporters map!

Lynnette Wirth, GM of Basics, feels that donating to Food Co-op Initiative's work to support the next generation of food co-ops is a key part of their co-op's efforts to fulfill the seven cooperative principles. Here's what she has to say:

"Basics Co-op is proud to support FCI and in turn the Co-ops they help. It helps us meet two of the seven co-op principles: Cooperation Among Cooperatives, working together locally, nationally, and internationally and Concern for Community, working for sustainable community development. Supporting FCI supports the future of Co-ops."

At the time of scheduling this post, two more co-ops have joined the map and we are officially at $67,246 in Full Circle co-op donations out of our total $110,000 needed by the end of 2026. - that's another $8000 jump since our last post, let's keep this momentum going!

Learn about the three easy ways *your* co-op can donate to FCI and get on our 2026 Full Circle map at www.fci.coop/full-circle !

09/25/2026

The donations and pledges are starting to stream in fast! Thank you to the Dill Pickle Food Co-op in Chicago, IL for donating to FCI - welcome to our 2026 Full Circle supporters map!

Why is I'Talia McCarthy, GM of Dill Pickle FC, passionate about their co-op donating to FCI and being on our Full Circle co-ops map? Here's what she has to say:

"FCI has been foundational in uplifting the next generation of cooperators and supporting those dedicated to keeping the cooperative model alive. Their resources, education, and expertise provide vital support to both emerging startups and long-established co-ops. We are extremely proud to support FCI and help fuel the P6 principle of cooperation among cooperatives."

We have jumped forward $12,000 more in donations/pledges since our last post (in just 48 hours!) and are now past the halfway mark to fully funded - and by the time this posts, we will likely be even further along! Who's next? Will it be *your* co-op?

Learn about the three easy ways *your* co-op can donate to FCI and get on our 2026 Full Circle map at www.fci.coop/full-circle !

Address

2801 Hennepin Avenue South PMB 208
Londonderry, VT
55408

Website

http://www.fci.coop/donate

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