Strengthening Local Connections
Dear Community Food Co-op Members,
How do I know it’s spring in Bellingham? Well … a few weeks ago, cars all over town were carrying skis and snowboards on their roof racks. Now, I’m noticing those same roof racks have shifted to kayaks, bikes, and stand-up paddleboards. Sometimes all three at once! With Ski to Sea happening next weekend, it feels especially fitting. There’s an energy in our community right now that feels a bit more joyful, adventurous, and deeply connected to the natural environment. I’m definitely digging it.
Speaking of digging … I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Gardening is practically a sport in Bellingham. My Sunnyland neighbors are out in force, digging and planting. Our Garden Center sales at the Co-op have been through the dirt this spring! Thanks to our friends at Sunseed Farmin Acme and Dirty Knees Nursery in Bellingham for providing us with the best organic garden starts. Thanks also to our hardworking Garden Center leaders, Hank and Camille, for their thoughtful curation and all the care they put into creating and maintaining these oases of green at our stores.
We recently gathered with our Board of Directors and Leadership Team for our annual spring retreat at the beautiful Samish Lake Day Lodge. We spent the day talking about the health of the Co-op and how we continue to bring our Strategic Plan goals to life. Department heads and store managers shared updates on the progress being made across the organization, from strengthening our local food system work to improving the member experience and building an exemplary workplace.
We also spent some time learning together. Our Finance Director, Jenny Low, led a (surprisingly) fun and engaging session explaining how the income statement influences the balance sheet, along with the difference between depreciation and amortization. You may have heard the adage “no money, no mission.” This session was a great reminder that good fiscal stewardship is what allows us to continue investing in our staff, supporting local producers, and serving our community for the long haul. The Co-op has been around for 56 years, and with our emphasis on stewardship and your continued support, we are planning to be here for at least another 56.
One of the most meaningful conversations of the retreat centered around what it truly means to be local. Not performative local, like so much of what you see at other grocers in town, but authentic local. Relationship-based local. Community-rooted local. The kind of local that comes from decades of partnerships with nearby farmers, producers, makers, and nonprofit organizations.
We explored how we can better tell these stories, so shoppers more fully understand the impact their purchases have on our community and regional food system. That work is already beginning, and in the coming months, you’ll start seeing new signage and storytelling throughout the Co-op designed to bring those connections to life.
Community Activity and Seasonal Celebrations at the Co-op
Memorial Day is just around the corner and in celebration of the long weekend, all beer, nonalcoholic beer, hard cider, hard seltzer, and hard kombucha will be 20% off from May 22 to 24. It’s definitely a good time to stock up on your favorites for backyard parties, camping trips, or after a hard day of gardening 😉.
I also want to pause and say thank you for your incredible generosity through our Community Change Fund. In April, together we raised more than $22,000 for the Lhaq’temish Foundation to support the Lummi Commodity Foods Program and their food sovereignty work. That’s community in action.
This month, our Community Change Fund recipient is Maple Alley Inn. If you’re not familiar with their work, they provide scratch-made meals for neighbors experiencing food insecurity right here in Bellingham. Last year, they served more than 11,000 meals and grew thousands of pounds of fresh produce in their garden. I hope you’ll consider donating at the register during your next visit.
Tomorrow, May 16, is our Community Shopping Day benefiting CAST (Community and Sandwiches Together) — a volunteer-run organization that has been feeding people in our community for more than 25 years. Two percent of the day’s sales will directly support their work.
You’ll also see the Co-op supporting community programs this month like Sustainable Connections’ Farm to Table Trails and Bellingham Farmers Market’s Chef in the Market series. These partnerships are a wonderful reminder that local food is not just about what’s on our plates. It’s about relationships, storytelling, shared experiences, and supporting the people who make our region so awesome.
As always, thank you for being part of this Co-op community. Every time you shop here, you help strengthen a more local, resilient, and connected food system. That feels worth celebrating.
I look forward to seeing you in our stores, around town, perhaps at the Farmers Market, on a trail, or maybe loading a kayak onto the roof of your car.
With gratitude,
Lisa Sedlar
CEO/General Manager
P.S. Do you have ideas, questions, concerns? Feel free to email me any time. My address is: [email protected].