Wanted: Good models of successful raw and organic food co-ops

[Guest guest]

Good morning,

This request may be off-topic and a little out of whack, but for those who've

met me that will come as no surprise.

 

Our local small-town co-op (college town, pop 50,000) has been running roughly

25 years and is now on the brink of collapse, in spite of a surge in demand for

high-quality, local food. I'm a regular customer and good friends with many of

the board members and recognize that the problems are largely due to lack of

cooperation (ironic eh?). They're having an emergency meeting tonite to

discuss or formulate a rescue plan. I feel safe in this forum suggesting that

the poor cooperation is due to poor diet and health habits that no amount of

money or reorganization is going to eliminate. (I have observational evidence

about the poor diet and healt habits of the employees - for starters most of

them smoke.) In my own raw transition I know my behavior, objectivity and

decision-making improved fabulously.

 

Another major obstacle is car parking, but I don't think it's significant since

the site is within 15 min walking distance of most of the town's population,

including 25,000 college students.

 

I'm thinking that good diet and fitness should be a pre-req for anyone working,

managing or serving on the board but I suspect I'll be attacked for the mere

suggestion.

 

What I'd like to know is if anyone knows of other co-ops that have recovered

from such a situation sucessfully, and how they did it.

 

Thanks!

Nick Hein

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Nick,

 

I have a couple of suggestions based on experience with several nonprofits.

First, and maybe most important, is get a facilitator in to run the

reorganization meetings. This person must be totally objective and without

personal connections to the board members - maybe a business instructor from the

college. Second, make sure everyone has a copy of the mission statement and

bylaws and insist that these documents are reviewed in detail. You might want

to write the mission statement on a chalk board to keep everyone focused on the

organization's main purpose. Every decision should be aligned with the mission

statement. If the mission statement is no longer relevant to the actual business

practices of the co-op, then you either need to change the mission statement or

realign the business practices with the mission statement. Believe me, this

process can be grueling which is why a good experienced facilitator is vital to

the process. (A facilitator's main purpose is to keep the process on track as

efficiently as possible.)

 

Once everyone is clear about the co-op's purpose (mission) and by-laws (how the

co-op is to be run) then you must define the problems/issues that need to be

resolved to get the co-op back on track. (The more specifically you define the

problems, the more clear the resolutions will be.) Focus on the specific

business issues, not on personality issues. There may be members who do not wish

to do this work. They may need or want to step down. This work is not about

hashing out personal issues, it is about the business of running a successful

co-op. (I personally recommend that you take a more subtle approach to

encouraging good health practices with board members and employees. This will

only put people on the defensive and waste time.)

 

This is a very quick look at a process that can be long and challenging. The

makeup of the board may well change during the process, in fact, may need to

change. There may be hurt feelings. Your most vital step is getting a good

facilitator on board immediately to guide the meetings. The goal is to rebuild a

thriving co-op that is a benefit to the membership and the community it serves!

Best of luck.

 

Peace on earth.

 

Cheryl

 

P.S. Parking is always an issue - especially when people will leave the co-op

with one or two bags of groceries!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message -----

Nick Hein<nick.hein

< >

Monday, June 23, 2008 7:45 AM

Wanted: Good models of successful raw and organic

food co-ops

 

 

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