October is Co-op Month and co-ops are getting major international attention from the UN this year: They declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives! In today’s world where corporate decisions are governed by profits and individualism is the norm, cooperation is truly radical. Now is the time to lift up the people-centered businesses at the heart of our communities and economies.

Under the theme “The Future is Cooperative,” this year’s Co-op Month is an opportunity to envision a cooperative future. The United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC 2025) was launched at the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly held in New Delhi in June 2024. The conference attracted around 3,000 delegates from over 100 countries who discussed how cooperatives build prosperity for all.

IYC 2025 highlights cooperatives’ contributions to sustainable development across social, economic and environmental dimensions and emphasizes the unique ability of cooperatives to foster inclusive growth and strengthen community resilience. According to the United Nations General Assembly, the resolution “notably focuses on the capacity for cooperatives to drive inclusive development, particularly in developing countries. It recognizes the role of cooperatives in promoting the economic status and capacity building of women and the wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalized people.”

Co-ops continue to be organized by communities across the U.S. and the world, anywhere people are interested in exercising more control over the kind of products and services they’re able to buy.

• There are more than 30,000 cooperative businesses in the U.S.
• The food co-op communities across the country that own National Co+op Grocers (NCG) work together collectively to strengthen our ability to positively impact our food system and grow the cooperative economy in an inclusive and environmentally regenerative manner.
• Thirty seven percent of food co-ops’ sales come from organic products (compared to 3% at conventional grocers), and 24% of sales at co-ops are from local products (as opposed to 2% at conventional grocers).
• Annually, $9 million was collectively donated to local community organizations by NCG co-ops.
• Co-ops work within our supply chain and industry and with the federal government to advocate for product labeling, disclosure of potentially harmful ingredients or contaminants, and protections for workers within our supply chain.

Want to know more about how to support cooperatives? Here are a few ideas:

• Look for the Co-op Trade signs around food co-ops to find cooperatively owned brands.
• Learn more about the history of food cooperatives.
• Read the Cooperative Values and Principles, which serve as guidelines to provide a democratic structure for co-ops around the world.
• Find a co-op near you and start shopping there!

As a local, community-owned grocery co-operative, we're committed to promoting food equality and accessibility in our community. We believe that everyone should have access to an inclusive and welcoming store, where they can shop for healthy, nutritious, quality food and products, regardless of their income.

That's why in 2018 we became an industry pioneer by launching our Low-Income Membership Program (LIMe for short) for members of our community needing additional assistance.

To help make shopping at the Co-op more accessible, LIMe Members receive a 15% discount on their purchases every day. To date, we have more than 250 individuals and families benefiting from our LIMe Program!

In addition to providing access to healthy, nutritious food and products, we are also committed to breaking down the income barrier to full ownership and participation in the community co-op.

That's why we're excited to announce some big changes to our LIMe Program with the introduction of LIMe+, a LIMe membership with the added benefits of full co-op ownership.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Fund for Democratic Communities, we're able to offer a fully paid equity share to any LIMe Member who opts to accept the benefit. That's a $100 value that extends all the lifetime benefits of a full-share equity ownership to all LIMe Members, current or future.

Current/active LIMe Members just need to click the button below to complete the online opt-in form and accept the fully-funded ownership share. That's it, we'll handle the rest from there! You'll need to continue to qualify and pay your $15 annual membership fee to continue to receive the LIMe discount, but you will remain a co-op owner for life, regardless of LIMe membership.

If you are not currently a LIMe member, or your LIMe membership has expired, you will need to come into the store to complete an application, provide proof of program qualification (active EBT card), and pay your $15 annual fee.

...or, if you're not a current/active LIMe Member...

For food lovers on the hunt for fresh local produce and healthy, sustainable products, the local food co-op may be a hidden gem. Why hidden, you ask? Many people, including co-op shoppers, are not entirely sure how co-ops work—or how to get involved. Luckily, the most common misconceptions can be cleared up in a snap. Read on to get the real answers to frequently asked questions about food co-ops. You may be surprised by what you find!

Myth #1

I have to be a member to shop at the food co-op.

Fact
Everyone is welcome to shop at nearly all co-ops. Just do your shopping like you would anywhere else. Once you’ve discovered the benefits of co-op shopping, you might want to find out more about the benefits of membership, too.

Myth #2

I have to be a hippie/liberal/vegetarian/etc. to shop at the co-op.

Fact
Same answer: everyone’s welcome. Liberal or conservative, hippie or yuppie, veggie lover or bacon lover—anyone can shop co-op (that means you!).

Myth #3

Being a co-op member means I have to join the board (or work part-time at the co-op, or do something else I’m not really sure I want to do).

Fact
All you really have to do is enjoy shopping at the co-op! Sure, you can run for the board or participate in co-op events if you like, but your level of participation is always entirely up to you.

Myth #4

I have to pay an annual fee to be a member of the co-op.

Fact
To become a member of most co-ops, you invest a small amount of money in the form of shares. Most co-ops allow you to buy them all at once or over time (but most member benefits start at once). Your shares make you a co-owner of the co-op along with the other members. If for any reason you decide to leave the co-op, there is a process to get your investment refunded.

Myth #5

There’s no reason to become a member if I can shop at the co-op for free.

Fact
While co-ops welcome everyone to shop, there are definite benefits to becoming a member.

For instance, members can vote in co-op issues, so they get a say in how the co-op works and where it spends its money. And speaking of money, when the co-op turns a profit, members may be eligible for a patronage refund in proportion to their purchases. There’s also a host of other member benefits that are specific to each co-op (just talk to the staff to find out more).

So even if you only shop at the co-op once a month, the benefits are likely to exceed your investment, and you’ll get to play a part in a vibrant community resource.

Deep Roots Market Board of Directors Meetings

We welcome all Owners to attend our monthly Board of Director meetings, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Grab a seat at our meetings held in the Community Room or attend via Zoom. To attend virtually, email boardofdirectors@deeprootsmarket.com prior to the meeting for a Zoom invitation.

2025 Meeting Dates & Main Topic of Discussion

• Monday, January 27—Business Planning and Asset Protection
• Monday, February 24—Financial Condition Review
• Monday, March 24—Staff and General Manager Relations
• Monday, April 28—Owner Rights and Responsibilities
• Saturday, May 3—Annual Owners Meeting
• Monday, May 19–Welcome New Board Members and Roles
• Monday, June 23—Customer Experience
• Monday, July 28—Global Executive Constraint
• Sunday, August 24 (date to be confirmed) Annual Board Retreat
• Monday, September 29–Financial Condition Review
• Monday, October 27—Communication and Committees
• Monday, November 24—Financial Condition Review
• Monday, December 15—Business Planning

We are delighted to introduce Debra Smith as the newest member of Deep Roots’ Board of Directors. Pictured in the center and surrounded by the other members of the Board, Debra has hit the ground running with her vast experience in financial matters and keen attention to detail. A Deep Roots owner since 2018, Debra attests to the value of healthy, organic foods for changing her life for the better. Read more about Debra Smith here.

Debra will be completing the term originally held by Eric Smith (no relation) who regrettably stepped down from the Board to attend to health and wellness matters. Eric’s service to Deep Roots most recently culminated with his involvement in the new General Manager (GM) search, a time-intensive commitment that required his insights and wisdom. We wish Eric, a professional Santa Claus, all the best and will miss his wit at our monthly meetings.

Speaking of monthly meetings, you may be wondering what is in store for Debra now that she’s become a Board Member as well as an owner. Here’s a glimpse of what the Board does. At our last Board Meeting, we reviewed monthly financials as we always do with General Manager Matt Davis and received a report from our Owner Engagement Committee of owner responses to questions about what makes Deep Roots Market special to you and the community. The data will inform a new, concise statement of what distinguishes Deep Roots Market today from other markets and co-ops (one of the Board’s three goals for this year).

What else, you ask? Recently, the Board’s Finance Committee researched, crunched the numbers, and with our General Manager, developed a multi-year plan to retire outstanding owner loans that supported Deep Roots’ operations in challenging times and move to the downtown location (another of the Board’s goals for the year). The Board approved the plan which will begin in 2024, asking our GM to distribute $80,000 in debt repayment by the end of the year, an ambitious step that clearly demonstrates strong commitment to this goal on the part of the Board and the new management team. As one aspect of the ambitious loan repayment plan, the Board will launch a year-end fundraising campaign, asking customers, owners and Deep Roots supporters to consider year-end contributions to help Deep Roots cover costs that extend beyond store sales and ownership shares. More on this soon!

Finally, our Board Development Committee is already preparing candidate packets for owners interested in running for a three-year Board position at our May 2025 Annual Meeting. We intentionally hold elections annually to re-elect or replace at least three Board Members and we hope you will consider running for one of the positions so you can work with an amazing, dedicated group of people to deepen Deep Roots’ place and impact in our community!