Expanding membership and member involvement of a grocery co-operative in order to reduce food insecurity and support sustainable food production through educational and outreach opportunities

Student

Jacquie Whalen

College(s)

College of Science

Faculty Advisor

Margaret Pfeil

Class Year

2019

A biweekly market night at the Common Good Co-op

I created a portfolio of information, accomplishments, failures, strategies, and recommendations that Common Goods Cooperative Grocery has experienced throughout the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019. As a portfolio, any member, both current and future, can read this document to determine what factors have been successful at Common Goods to expand the membership base, increase member education, and further community outreach.

The portfolio overviewed the current membership base, membership statistics from 2018, and general observations about how market nights have been proceeding. Surveys were given to members to determine member knowledge and interest of both educational and outreach events. An overview of the surveys and inferences taken from the surveys were given. The educational and outreach strategies that were implemented were summarized along with the steps needed to accomplish these strategies. The successes and failures of each strategy is outlined along with the relevant materials produced through the strategies.

This document provided help to Common Goods Cooperative Grocery to continue bringing sustainably and ethically produced food products to the local community of South Bend, Indiana.