Your Guide To Joining A Philly Food Co-op

What we eat, and wherever it comes from, says a batch astir what we value. 

Some group whitethorn prioritize velocity aliases convenience, while others whitethorn attraction connected spirit aliases nan freshness of nan ingredients. Many, for sure, prioritize value (even much truthful aft what’s go known arsenic “eggflation”) and admit a bully sale.

And galore others — including more than 1.3 cardinal members of nutrient co-ops crossed nan country — prioritize values specified arsenic community, self-sufficiency and equity, erstwhile they take wherever to shop for produce.

If you stock their mindset and are funny astir your section nutrient co-op, Billy Penn has a guideline for you.

Philly nutrient co-ops judge SNAP and WIC arsenic costs options. Each co-op provides much accusation astir further accepted costs methods connected their websites. (Natalia Sanchez Loayza/Billy Penn)

What precisely is simply a nutrient co-op?

At its core, a nutrient co-op is simply a market shop formed by member-owners who are mostly — and sometimes exclusively — neighbors successful nan organization wherever nan co-op is located.

Some run arsenic nonprofit organizations, while others usability arsenic cooperative businesses. Some let non-members to shop, whereas others are exclusive to members. Certain nutrient co-ops are wholly tally by nan member-owners — meaning they grip everything from governance to cashier duties — while others employment outer staff.

Food co-ops are portion of a larger ecosystem of cooperatives pinch a agelong history worldwide. Philly nutrient co-ops beryllium to their ain network, nan Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance, and travel nan International Co-op Principles.

1. Voluntary and unfastened membership

2. Democratic personnel control

3. Member economical participation

4. Autonomy and independence

5. Education, training and information

6. Cooperation among cooperatives

7. Concern for community

Now that we cognize what they are, here’s really to subordinate one.

To motion up for nan co-op, you tin either spell successful personification aliases complete an online application. If you request typical assistance aliases want to use for immoderate of nan subsidies, it’s champion to spell successful person. (Natalia Sanchez Loayza/Billy Penn)

Find and prime a co-op

Check if you person a section co-op aliases tin easy commute to one. There are 3 nutrient co-ops successful Philly, and each of them let anyone to subordinate and go a member-owner. You don’t person to unrecorded successful their neighborhoods.

South Philly Food Co-op

Hours: each day, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: 2031 S Juniper Street – South Philly

Mariposa Food Co-op

Hours: each day, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: 4824 Baltimore Avenue – West Philly

Weavers Way Co-op has different locations successful Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill and Germantown, and different business hours. Learn much astir them here.

Once you’ve located 1 adjacent you, spell to nan store, locomotion nan corridors, cheque retired nan produce! 

Co-op member-owners person entree to typical pricing connected various products successful nan store. (Natalia Sanchez Loayza/Billy Penn)

Check costs

Once you settee connected a adjacent co-op, you’ll want to study its rank costs. This is called an equity investment, and if you later take to time off nan co-op, it allows you to get backmost what you person invested. However, nan co-ops clasp nan correct to withhold refunds to protect their financial viability (Weavers Way Co-op is an exception).

Each co-op offers costs options, and each 3 successful Philly connection alternatives if you cannot spend this cost.

South Philly Food Co-op

One-time equity investment: $300

This tin beryllium paid successful afloat aliases successful monthly installments ranging from 2 to 12 months.

If you can’t spend this, you tin sojourn nan shop and use to nan co-op’s Community Equity Fund, which allows you to subordinate pinch conscionable $5 astatine registration and to take a costs plan. The co-op subsidizes up to $275 of nan $300 full investment. No income aliases employment documents are required for eligibility.

Mariposa Food Co-op

One-time equity investment: $200

You tin salary this successful afloat aliases take 1 of nan pursuing costs plans until you scope nan afloat amount:

• $25 each 3 months
• $50, $75 aliases much to start, and $25 (or more) each 3 months

If you can’t spend this, you tin use for nan Food For All (FFA) program, which covers $100 of nan equity investment. After their first year, recipients lend $10 each 3 months until they scope $100 of individual equity.

FFA applicants must person astatine slightest 1 of nan pursuing forms of assistance: SNAP/EBT card, WIC card, SSI/SSDI, TANF Cash Assistance aliases Medicaid.

If you don’t person these forms of eligibility but cannot spend a modular membership, you tin email ownership@mariposa.coop.

Weavers Way Co-op

Lifetime equity investment: $400

A minimum yearly equity finance of $30 is required, but you tin lend much astatine immoderate clip until you scope nan afloat amount.

If you aliases a family personnel person SNAP, TANF, WIC, Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, Military Disability aliases General Assistance, you tin subordinate nan co-op done nan Food For All program. This reduces your equity finance to $5 a twelvemonth and provides a 15% discount connected astir purchases.

If you don’t suffice for immoderate of these programs but are facing financial hardship, you tin interaction nan Membership Department astatine (215) 843-2350 ext. 119.

Co-ops spot an accent connected nan value of nan nutrient they sell, arsenic good arsenic its origin. They not only connection adjacent waste and acquisition products but besides supply much accusation astir this topic. (Natalia Sanchez Loayza/Billy Penn)

Understand your benefits

Beyond being portion of a organization and supporting nan co-op’s mission, joining comes pinch further benefits that tin make nan equity finance worthwhile. These are immoderate examples commonly recovered successful Philly nutrient co-ops.

Ownership and governance

As a member, you go a co-owner of nan store, giving you voting authorities connected cardinal decisions, eligibility to tally for governance positions, and nan imaginable to person patronage dividends — based connected really overmuch you spent astatine nan shop — if nan co-op turns a profit complete nan people of nan year.  

Discounts and sale

Take advantage of savings connected prime products, typical discount days and bulk purchasing discounts.

Working personnel benefits

While moving hours are not required, members who lend clip tin person further discounts. This opportunity allows members to prevention much while actively engaging pinch nan co-op.

Mariposa Food Co-op has been successful West-Philly since 1971 and provides nan organization pinch entree to natural, wholesome foods. (Natalia Sanchez Loayza/Billy Penn)

Apply successful personification aliases online

You are now fresh to apply! Visit your co-op and registry successful person, aliases usage immoderate of nan pursuing links to registry online and make your first equity payment:

Join South Philly Food Co-op

Join Mariposa Food Co-op

Join Weavers Way Co-op

And that’s it. Once you’re portion of a co-op, you tin shop regularly, see staffing opportunities, salary your equity finance complete time, ballot for your representatives, tally for a position, and bask being portion of a values-driven community.