Neighbors Gather to Establish Local Steering Committee for Community-Owned Grocery Store

A significant step forward as community members convened to form the Big River Grocery Steering Committee. This group of founding members will guide the early phases of the co-op via committees that will handle legal, financial, community outreach, events, and leadership in general. This group will do the work of the board of directors during the foundational stage of growth until there are enough members to elect an actual board to oversee the co-op.

Representatives from our professional partner: Columinate - the co-op startup facilitated the meeting. Discussion topics included "Co-op 101" to define what cooperatives are—people-centered enterprises focused on shared economic, social, and cultural needs, emphasizing democratic control and the "one member, one vote" rule. Several examples of black-led co-ops were featured during the presentation which highlighted the legacy of cooperation among Black people by showcasing organizations like the National Black Food & Justice Alliance, the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network, and Gem City Market in Dayton, Ohio underscoring their work towards food sovereignty and equitable food systems.

The meeting transitioned to practical next steps including the formation of a Steering Committee to manage development, finance, outreach, and legal aspects.