Shop to benefit Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY), our June SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in June to benefit Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY).
2% Saturday Community Shopping Day
Shop to benefit ReUse Works, our May SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in May to benefit ReUse Works.
2% Saturday Community Shopping Day
Shop to benefit Communities in Schools of Whatcom County, our April SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in April to benefit Communities in Schools of Whatcom County.
2% Saturday Community Shopping Day
Shop to benefit Let’s Move! Blaine, our March SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in March to benefit Let’s Move! Blaine.
2% Saturday Community Shopping Day
Shop to benefit Growing Alliances, our February SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in February to benefit Growing Alliances.
2% Saturday Community Shopping Day
Shop to benefit Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, our January SEED recipient. Two percent of the Co-op's total sales from this day will be donated. Round up your purchase at the register any day in January to benefit WHRTF.
2016 Community Food Co-op Impact Report
by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator
Sharing the results from our sustainability tracking informs Co-op staff and shoppers on ways we can work even harder to improve our already strong environmental business practices.
To that end, we have updated the format of our abridged annual sustainability report! You can read it online.
Or, dig into details in the full report on the Sustainability at the Co-op page.
2016 Co-op Volunteer of the Year
by Karl Meyer, Outreach Team
January 2017
Congratulations to the 2016 Co-op Volunteer of the Year—Alex McIntyre!
My first encounter with Alex was an email he sent in response to a request for volunteers at the Annual Meeting and Party (AMP). The AMP is where I need the most help from our volunteers as it takes a lot of work to set up a space to feed and entertain 600 member-owners. Alex said the following in his email: “I would love to help out at the Co-op Difference annual meeting and event party. If you still need an extra hand, I would be willing to do what is needed to throw an awesome event. Hope to hear back soon. Thanks, Alexander McIntyre.”
I replied with all the tasks and times for which I needed volunteer help and Alex said he would be happy to do any of them and could be there the whole day if needed. It can be a little tricky assessing the commitment level of new volunteers and I was thinking … this guy seems too good to be true but what the heck, I’ll bring him in early and get him in on hauling around all those heavy tables and chairs that the rental place delivers.
Alex showed up on time and ended up helping all day long with hauling, decorating, parking, cleaning, and hauling all the heavy tables and chairs back at the end of the night.
Since then, Alex and I have become friends and he has been helping in a variety of ways, including participating with me at a healthy smoothie presentation for a kid’s camp. Alex has one of those bikes with a blender that can make smoothies as a side biz. He has also been helping Co-op Sustainability Coordinator Melissa Elkins with a waste audit, helping direct traffic in the parking lot during construction, and more.
He volunteers at many, many places in town and on campus.
Alex is currently an Environmental Studies student at Huxley College with an emphasis in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development. Alex gives me faith in the future. He volunteers at many, many places in town and on campus. He arrived at the interview for this story fresh from volunteering at Bellingham Food Bank. When I asked what he did there, he said he started by helping people lift their heavy boxes of food. But now they have him working in the truck and doing the produce pickup, sorting, cleaning, and organizing.
I could go on at length about what I like about Alex. Instead I’ll share just a few things that stood out from my interview notes. He can’t remember the last time he purchased gas. He has received 4.0 grades his entire college career. He’s an avid outdoors person who loves hiking and climbing. He is currently working with students on campus and others in an effort to build a 75-megawatt wind farm in Washington. He wants to volunteer more with the homeless and the elderly. His diet is mostly plant based. Money is not something that makes him happy. He says less is more, and that his health and fulfilling his passions and ethical values are far more important to him than money.
He volunteers because he likes to meet new people, loves being part of the Bellingham community, and feels blessed to be able to give back.
We are grateful that Alex generously volunteers some of his time at the Co-op.
Thank you, Alex!
2016 Co-op Cooperator of the Year
by Karl Meyer, Outreach Team
January 2017
Congratulations to the Community Food Co-op’s Co-op Cooperator of the Year—the entire Co-op staff!
When it came time to select the Co-op Cooperator award the Member Affairs Committee was faced with a daunting task—how to possibly choose from among the many accolades for individual Co-op staff and contributors. Then, the obvious answer presented itself.
Who worked hard through the many transitions the Co-op underwent in 2016? Who kept providing top-notch customer service despite some challenging working conditions? Who worked around construction obstacles yet continued to cook up some of the best tasting and highest quality food in town? Who helped shoppers safely navigate the parking lot during construction? Who implemented several new programs this year, including Flash Sales and First Fridays at the Co-op?
Co-op staff, that’s who! And that is why each and every member of our staff earned the 2016 Co-op Cooperator of the Year award!
Kudos to the best team any co-op could possibly ask for.
You kept things rolling during the many transitions and you made it look easy. Co-op’s Rock because the people that work at co-ops ROCK IT every day! Thank you for everything you do to make the Co-op great!
Congratulations to the Nominees
Congratulations to the following Co-op staff who were all nominated for the Co-op Cooperator of the Year award! You rock!
Cordata store nominees (from left): Alicia, Hayley, Seth, Cameron, Brittany, and Lacee. Not pictured: Jeannine and Mike.
Downtown store nominees (from left): Josh, Erin, Steve, and Tiffany (not pictured).
Central office nominees Kris (left) and Karl.
What People Are Saying About Us
Recent Facebook Reviews
“I love to know I can go get a hot and healthy meal in minutes. The CO-OP is a place to go for those who love locally sourced, convenient products, and a sense of home and community.”
“I love that I can go in with a question and always come out with it answered.”
“I LOVE my community Co-op! All the best organically grown foods, knowledgeable staff, friendly service!”
Why Our New Owners Joined the Co-op
“New to town. Important to me to engage in community and support local business.”
“Because it’s the best store ever—excellent zero waste options, community mission, local food, produce well-labeled.”
“I shop here regularly and love the selection and friendly, positive atmosphere.”
“I wanted to increase my options for organic, whole, gluten-free food. I also wanted to support our local growers and community.”
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Yelpers Like Us, Too
“With plentiful options and unique dishes, the deli is the perfect place to go for a lunch break.” –Keith C, Bellingham
“Great selection of spices and (other baking essentials) in their bulk bins! We bought our turkey here for Thanksgiving. We were planning a meal for two. We were looking for a single turkey breast. They had the awesome Mary’s turkeys and a worker very nicely told us that we could indeed buy just a breast and advised us when to come in to get it. And that is how the Co-op saved Thanksgiving
for us.” –Becky W, Bellingham
“We love the Community Food Co-op! We have been shopping here for years. First at the downtown location, and then at Cordata when it opened. We love everything … the produce, seafood, meats, bakery, deli. The staff is great … we love the deli staff and the checkers. We live in Skagit County now, and we still drive up every other week to shop at Cordata location.” –Jeanne O, Anacortes
Comments from our Website
“The cashier Samuel—he is very friendly and welcoming. He always greets me with a smile and easily converses. Today I observed him being very friendly, sincere and welcoming to a woman who said it was her first time in the store. She was a little flustered learning how to use her card and helping her companion. Samuel was very patient and I know made her feel at ease.”
Response: Wow that’s great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to share, we think Samuel is pretty terrific also!
“Tim is the best wine guy in the city! I’m a professor, a connoisseur, and from a French family, so we know wine! Tim has excellent customer service, and he really knows his wine very well! I only shop for wine at Cordata now because Tim is so great! Thanks Tim!”
Response: That is wonderful. We all love him here too.
“Paul in the meat department is a GREAT resource! I asked him about the difference between two labels and he knew absolutely everything about the ingredients and preparations. Thank you!”
Response: That’s great to hear! Paul is the meat department assistant manager and has been with us for several years. He is absolutely a great resource on all of our products. I’m glad you had such a great interaction. I will surely pass on the feedback! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
“Sam in the deli is incredible! He helped me feel welcome and got me fixed up real quick with food when I was faint from hunger.”
Response: Thank you so much for sharing! I’m not surprised to hear your feedback—Sam is an outstanding member of our team, and I made his day by passing on your kudos. See you again soon!
“I sampled your Black Beauties last week and loved them (brownies made with black beans). Is it possible to get the recipe?”
Response: You got it!
