SNAP Update at People’s Food Co-op

SNAP Update at People’s Food Co-op

We’re closely monitoring the government shutdown’s impact on SNAP funding as well as SNAP funding in 2026. Here’s what we know as of November 1:

Current Situation

• UPDATE 11/12/25: November SNAP benefits have been distributed in full in Oregon after a U.S District court order to release the funds.

  The current federal government shutdown is causing a delay in distribution of Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) benefits. SNAP recipients received benefits in October, however November’s benefits are in question. We recommend checking Oregon Department of Human Services for updates to individual benefits: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/news/pages/snap-updates.aspx

• Federal judges have blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to cut off food assistance funding starting 11/1. “However, without clear next steps from the administration, SNAP funding has expired. This is devastating for 750,000 Oregonians who rely on these benefits to buy food.” Andrea Williams, OFB President

• In response to ongoing uncertainty, Governor Kotek has declared a state of emergency and allocated $5 million to the Oregon Food Bank. Oregon “is limited and cannot match the $140 million gap in SNAP benefits that Oregon families would typically rely on this month. And no food bank can replace SNAP. For every meal we provide, SNAP provides nine.” Williams, OFB The Oregon Food Bank plays a key role in enabling the Co-op to provide Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) for our SNAP customers. 

• Local businesses and orgs are raising money and providing free resources to the community members who are food insecure.

The situation is evolving rapidly. We’ll continue to share updates as soon as we can!

SNAP at People’s Food Co-op

UPDATE 11/7/25: The Double Up Food Bucks matching program is back to normal operations until further notice. $1 for $1 SNAP match up to $20 per visit on fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Oregon Food Bank is developing a new way to offer Double Up Food Bucks at the Co-op through an estimated 1:20 match. This means SNAP shoppers may soon be able to access up to $20/day in Double Up Food Bucks for every $1 spent using EBT.
This initiative is still in development, please stay tuned for more updates.

Other resources at Peoples: If you use SNAP but do not have a Double Up Food Bucks account at People’s, we’d love to sign you up at our register. We also offer an additional 5% discount and coupons to Member-Owners and have a program that gives free Co-op memberships to people in need. Inquire and sign up at the register any time.

SNAP at People’s Farmers’ Market

Our Farmers’ Market Double Up Food Bucks program is funded by the Farmers Market Fund, which has secured funding through November. The Fund created an Emergency Double Up Food Bucks plan which will provide a $.01:$20 match, ensuring continued access to fresh, local food during this uncertain time. We were able to launch the Emergency Double Up Fund at our Farmers’ Market this week!

UPDATE 11/12/25: Double Up Food Bucks is back to normal operations at the People’s Farmers’ Market. $1 for $1 SNAP match of fresh fruits and vegetables up to $20 per day.

Food Security Fundraiser at the Co-op

In response to recent events, our community has expressed the desire to raise money for community members who are facing food insecurity. To meet that energy, we are immediately modifying our register round up to raise funds to alleviate hunger and food insecurity. Although we don't yet know exactly how these funds will be distributed, we can assure you that they will be distributed either directly to community members in need and/or to organizations working to alleviate food insecurity in our community.

Free Food Resources in Portland

You can find a list of free food programs and mutual aid efforts here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YoPfWyHnwaTAhzlDM94YYvJTZqWGBSNNwkL1p-TGHuY/edit?usp=sharing

Ways You Can Help

• Donate or volunteer with mutual aid groups and organizations listed in the resource document listed above*. Community fundraising and volunteer efforts are making a real difference right now.

• Support local businesses that accept SNAP, including our Farmers’ Market vendors, neighborhood corner stores, and food co-ops. SNAP dollars are vital to our local economy - when funding is disrupted, small businesses and markets feel the impact.

• Call federal leaders and the USDA and demand SNAP funding. 

https://secure.oregonfoodbank.org/a/government-shutdown?emci=ada7c4c0-80b6-f011-8e61-6045bded8ba4&emdi=d446174a-44b7-f011-8e61-6045bded8ba4&ceid=376839

Invest in the Co-op and Receive a Gift!

Become a Member-Owner, invest in your share, or contribute to the Pay It Forward Membership Fund and get an original risograph poster!

Our poster (displayed below) is designed and printed by Collective Manager and artist Jenn Kliese. You can also choose a People’s tea towel.

Membership drive ends at 9p on 11/23. Pay it Forward applicants who sign up between 10/1 and 11/23 will also get the same gift!

You can also donate $30+ to our Pay It Forward Fund and get the same gift!

The Pay It Forward Membership Fund helps provide free annual Co-op memberships to community members who cannot afford the investment, as well as support for existing members who cannot afford to keep up with their upcoming member payments.

Invest & Win: Enter Our Raffle!

Become a Member-Owner, invest in your share, or contribute $30 to the Pay It Forward Membership Fund through 11/23 and you’ll also be entered into our raffle! We’re giving away gift certificates to awesome local co-ops and small businesses around the neighborhood!

Raffle Prizes:

• Vitreluxe glass set of colorful ripple cups!

• Cookshop class for two

• SymbiOp gift card

• Mirisata gift card

• Alberta Co-op & General Store gift card

• Common Ground Wellness Center gift card

• Poppy’s Smoothie Cart gift card

• North Street Bags gift card

• People’s Food Co-op gift card

• People’s merch

Risograph poster by Jenn Kliese

Mt. Hope Farms - Oregon Grown Grape Excellence

Mt. Hope Farms - Oregon Grown Grape Excellence

Ryan Gaughan - September 2025

People’s Food Co-op is excited to partner with Mt. Hope Farms, growers of exquisite table grapes!  Located in Molalla, Oregon–only 26 miles away from People’s–this family farm is breaking onto the agricultural scene in an innovative way producing some very high quality fruit that we want to share with you.

Mt. Hope Farms grows 1.5 acres of Thomcord, Reliance, and Jupiter grapes.  The Ellis’ are a 5th generation Oregon farming family that also grows 300 acres of low intervention, low/no till wheat locally processed through Union Mills.  They decided to start growing grapes several years ago to diversify their crops and have seen tremendous results.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Ellis family on the farm in late August, just as their grape varieties were entering the final stages of maturation.  It’s a short window in September to harvest the 16,000 pounds of grapes they typically produce, all the while keeping an eye out for early autumn rains which can cause splitting and damage to this sensitive crop.

The Ellis family made it very clear to me that they consider themselves stewards of the land.  They’ve seen first hand the impact that synthetic pesticides, chemical agents, and intensive tillage have on soil health, as well the negative physical impact on generations of their family members’ health.  The Ellis’ want to be an example to other legacy farms in the area that change is possible, and profitable.  The farm consistently utilizes cover crops to keep the soil below the grape trellis healthy.  They also rarely use irrigation, as grape vines thrive through deep rooted access to water stores well below the surface.

I’m excited to begin this working relationship with the Ellis family on behalf of People’s.  The farm received a grant to build a food processing facility on their farm, which opens up huge opportunities to produce more affordable value added products like jam and juices.  Infrastructure like this contributes to food resilience in the Willamette Valley by providing small family farms with more income generating opportunities, and as a means to serve local communities struggling with the high cost of food.

You are invited to stop in to the Co-op and experience the difference of Mt. Hope Farms table grapes.  Please try a sample before you buy–all three varieties of grapes are on sale at $3.99/lb through 9/30.

https://mthopefarmsoregon.com/

Masks Still Required Indoors from 9-11am Everyday

Dear People’s Co-op Community,

In response to Oregon lifting its indoor mask mandate on March 12th, 2022 People’s Food Co-op has collectively decided to continue requiring masks inside the store between the hours of 9am-11am. We believe it's important to continue providing options for a safer shopping experience for our community, especially for our immunocompromised community members. Together, the collective fully consented to continue requiring masks for both shoppers and staff inside the store from 9-11am each day. We are in close proximity with hundreds of customers every day so please feel free to continue to wear masks outside of those required times as well. Masking indoors helps minimize chances of a staff outbreak and keeps our co-op doors open for you! 

We will continue to provide medical grade face masks to those who do not have a mask on hand. If you need one, please ask a staff member for assistance.  These can be found stationed outside of our front door with sanitizer. If you would like to shop at People’s but do not want to wear a mask, you are welcome to shop with us after 11am each day.

We also at this time are still continuing to provide online ordering for those who prefer not to shop in the store. You can learn more about this program here: https://www.peoples.coop/online-ordering

The Collective Management continues to evaluate our COVID-19 safety policies as the pandemic goes on, and will keep you informed with any updates or changes to our policies. 

Thank you all for respecting and understanding our decisions. We do ask that you refrain from confronting staff in stores about our policy. If you have questions or concerns please contact info@peoples.coop. We sincerely hope for and look forward to a time when COVID-19 is a distant memory for everyone. In the meantime, we will continue to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our community.

Sincerely,

The Community Engagement Team of People's Food Co-op

Help Us Revise Our Mission Statement!

In 2007, People's Board of Directors adopted the following mission statement, known as our “Ends”:

A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, and social and economic justice

1. Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies

2. A safe welcoming community where all are valued

3. Democratic workplace where all workers’ voices are valued 

4. Access to healthful foods our customers can trust

Eighteen years later, we are revisiting our Ends statement. The Ends statement is our guiding principle.  It is that point on the horizon towards which we move.  Another way of thinking about the Ends statement is that it is the reason People's exists.  Of course, we sell food but if we just sold food, we would be like any other grocery store.  Selling food is not our primary goal.  Selling groceries is a means to our Ends.  

We’d love your perspective and participation! Help us by answering the following questions (click the button below to take our survey). We also have paper copies in the store’s front infospace. If you decide to submit a paper copy, please hand it to a cashier. The survey will close on September 18th, so please submit before then!

You are helping us determine whether our current Ends statement still accurately reflects our values and mission or whether we want to update them. 

Thank you!

Support the Oregon Food Bank While You Shop!

Join us in helping our neighbors access nutritious food during challenging times. At each register, you’ll find a display with donation options from $5 to $150. Every dollar you contribute will go directly to purchasing pantry staples in high demand, which we will collect and deliver to the Oregon Food Bank at the end of the drive.

Many pantry staples are in short supply and critical for families facing food insecurity, including quality cooking oils, nut butters, seasonings, tomatoes, gluten-free options, and more. These items are often cost-prohibitive for families in need.

The rising cost of food and housing has led to a 31% increase in food assistance requests in our region, with over 2.5 million visits to food pantries over the past year alone. Food insecurity is hitting hard in Oregon and Southwest Washington, especially for Black, Indigenous, and Latine households, where food insecurity rates are disproportionately high (Oregon Food Bank).

Instead of the traditional food drive, we’re rallying our community to multiply our collective impact. Simply select a donation amount from the display, ring it up with your groceries, and know that your contribution is helping to provide real, nutritious support to folks in need. The Oregon Food Bank will distribute our donations through their numerous programs.

Thank you for being a part of this important effort. Together, we can help ensure everyone has access to the food they deserve.

Co-op Under Construction - Closed Thursday 8/15/24

Head’s Up! Co-op is under construction. We are restoring our siding and windows after 20+ years of ware. We will be closed on Thursday 8/15/24. We’ll be open during the rest of construction. You may experience some noise/dust. Quiet hours are 6-9pm. Poppy’s will be closed from 8/13-8/19. Thanks for you patience and support!. People’s Food Co-op. (Pictured is a photo of the Co-op building under construction during it’s expansion, 2002)

Myth Busters--People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors Edition

Myth Busters--People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors Edition

By Marc Brown, Director

Myth #1: I don’t have the skills needed to serve on the board.

Truth #1: Everyone has the skills needed to serve on the board of People’s! The only requirement is that you are a Member-Owner of People’s Food Co-op (if you’re not sure if you are, or would like to become one, email us here).  The Board’s strength comes from the diversity of skills that the board members bring to it. Everyone has skills and those skills add to the diversity and strength of the Board.  

Myth #2: I do not know anything about running a cooperative grocery store or running any grocery store for that matter, so I shouldn’t run for the Board.

Truth #2: Very few directors on the Board know anything about running a grocery store or any store.  The Board of People’s is a governance board and not an operational board.  That means that the Board is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the store.  People’s has an excellent and dedicated collectively managed staff that knows how to run the store.  The Board governs the cooperative corporation through policies. The Board governs by ensuring that the Board and staff are meeting board policies. 

Myth #3: You mentioned policies.  I hear that you use a system called Policy Governance.  I have no idea what that means and so I cannot be a director.

Truth #3: The Board trains every new director on Policy Governance.  Very few individuals know anything about Policy Governance when they begin to serve on the Board.  But within a year, the new directors are Policy Governance experts, a handy skill they carry on beyond their term on the Board. 

Myth #4: I previously served on the board of a non-profit and it was very challenging with many heated discussions about how the group could best advocate. I don’t want to sign up for more stress like that. 

Truth #4: People’s Food Cooperative is not a non-profit.  It is a cooperatively owned corporation which runs a for-profit business—our grocery store.  Each Member-Owner owns one share of the co-operative corporation and with that one share, each Member-Owner has one vote.  The directors represent the owners much like any corporate board of a company like Apple or Pepsi or Columbia Sportswear, but the big difference is that WE OWN IT.  It is our corporation.  Additionally, the Board of People’s uses a consensus model of decision-making.  Rather than voting to make decisions, we hold discussions to hear everyone’s point of view, find a happy medium or compromise and then move forward together. This seems to reduce much of the tension and animosity that is sometimes experienced on boards that operate on a majority rules model. 

Myth #5: I do not have the time to serve on the Board.

Truth #5: It is true that serving on the Board does take time.  Probably a minimum of 6 hours a month.  Some directors put in additional time on projects and committees.  However, much of that time is spent working with and around interesting people who are passionate about food access, social justice, human rights, equity and equality, and economic opportunities.  And, all directors get a 15% discount on their purchases at People’s for their efforts.  

The Living Wage Question

This report was first published in People’s 2022 Annual Report. Read an update in our 2023 Annual Report.

Our Living Wage Fund is live! Your monthly contribution to our Living Wage Fund supports getting all co-op workers closer to a living wage!

The Living Wage Question

By People’s Living Wage Working Group

Introduction

We sometimes get inquiries from Member-Owners and customers about the rate of pay at the co-op, and whether People’s workers are paid a living wage. In addition, we, as both Collective Managers and employees, have become concerned that People’s current wage scale does not meet the needs of its workers or the needs of the co-op as an enterprise. At the same time, we are constrained by the mandate to operate a financially responsible business which does not create an unsustainable wage structure, given the level of sales possible with our current store. The purpose of this report is to answer some of these questions for Member-Owners, and to share information regarding our dilemmas and concerns regarding the living wage question.

What is a living wage? 

A living wage is the theoretical amount of income required for individuals or households to be able to afford adequate shelter, food and other necessities. 

There are different ways to calculate a living wage, and, for the purpose of this report, we are using the 2023 living wages calculator for Multnomah County presented by MIT (note: the living wages calculator at the link will now display the present day’s living wage calculation). The additional background information regarding historical living wage calculations in the Portland area is provided by Multnomah County Living Wage Calculator, archived data.

The amount that constitutes a living wage is different for single individuals, households with multiple incomes, households with dependent children, and single individuals with dependents; but for simplicity, in this report, we will refer to the living wage calculated for a single person with no dependents.

For a single person with no dependents, living in Multnomah County in 2023, a living wage is currently calculated to be $21.85/hr. Note: as of March 2024, the Multnomah County living wage for a single person with no dependents is now calculated to be $26.45/hour.

Although all workers at People’s are paid by hourly-wage, rather than by salary, it may be helpful to understand that for a full-time schedule of 35 hours per week, this amounts to yearly gross pay of $39,767 ($48,139 in 2024).

It’s also important to note that for families with children, the amount considered to be a living wage is higher, calculated at $39.70/hr. For single households with one dependent child, the calculated living wage is: $40.94/hr ($48.23/hr in 2024). These factors can make employment at People’s very difficult for people who have, or who want to have, children; they make it nearly impossible for anyone who is a single parent or solo care provider to be able to work at People’s.

Do we currently pay a living wage to workers?

Our current starting wage is $17.68, which is a little more than $4/hour less than Multnomah County’s living wage of $21.85. Note: as of March 2024, our starting wage is $8.77/hour less than the Multnomah County’s living wage of $26.45.

Currently, only 5 out of our 33 workers are paid at an hourly rate at or above living wage, due to their longer tenure at People’s. (Note: as of March 2024, only 1 out of 33 workers is paid at or above living wage). This means that 28 workers – all of the employees who have been at People’s for less than seven years – are not currently paid a living wage. (Note: as of March 2024, 32 workers are now making less than a living wage.)

The last time People’s paid what was considered a living wage as starting pay for a single person with no dependents, was 2019, when we paid $14.75 as a starting wage, with Multnomah County living wage calculated just a bit lower, at $14.59.

What is People’s history with payment of a living wage?

Looking back, People’s has traditionally paid workers well for our industry. Going back 10 years, in 2012 we paid a starting wage of $12.58 –  $3.16 higher than what the living wage was calculated to be at the time: $9.42 for a single person with no dependents. 

Here, you can see how People’s pay scale has changed over time and has not kept up with the living wage (we’ve skipped several years for clarity):

As shown in the information above, in years before 2020, workers would start out with a pay rate that was several dollars higher than the calculated living wage at the time. In 2020, workers at People’s would reach living wage within their first year of employment. 

But since 2020, the rising cost of living has made it impossible for People’s Collective Management to continue to pay a living wage while also holding to the commitment to keep the co-op sustainable and profitable. 

In 2020, our starting wage was $15, just 16 cents lower than the calculated living wage at the time. Then, in 2021, when the living wage went up with the cost of living to $18.86, our starting wage at People’s remained at $15.

In 2021, the Collective Management worked hard to calculate and implement a wage adjustment, raising starting wages to $17/hr while making sure to offset this by careful sales projections. This decision by the Collective Management enabled many of our current newer staff and collective managers to apply and accept positions at People’s, which would have been much less feasible at a starting rate of $15/hr. However, in this same year, the cost of living went up again, and the living wage was re-calculated to $21.60, which put co-op wages behind once again.

In late 2022, the Collective Management agreed to a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2023, as per our wages policy. This adjustment helped to offset some amount of inflation, but did not bring us significantly closer to a living wage.

It should also be noted that the Collective Management has continued to prioritize fringe benefits, including the provision of health insurance, which matches or surpasses that of our competitors and many employers in other fields.

What do our policies say about a Living Wage?

In 2010, People’s Collective Management created our current Living Wage Policy, that includes the following text:

People's is committed to providing a living-wage to all staff. In 2007 we implemented our full living-wage and benefits package. Staffing expenses comprise the highest cost to the co-op after the cost of goods. The natural foods industry is a highly competitive market with a slim profit margin; because of this, strict monitoring of labor benchmarks is an important part of maintaining a sustainable benefits package for staff while ensuring a healthy business. In addition, the CM may revise the Living Wage Policy on an annual basis in order to balance the dual priorities of fairly compensating our staff and maintaining healthy financial standing. 

Who Makes How Much, When?

A. The wage scale shall be the same for all staff, regardless of number of dependents.

B. All full-time and co-management staff shall be paid at least a living wage for a single person by their 1-year anniversary.

C. All staff shall be paid a starting wage that is no less than 90% of a living wage for a single person.

Also relevant, in a general sense, are People’s Ends, which describe the co-op as “A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, social and economic justice.” 

Why don’t we pay a living wage right now at People’s?

The financial challenge of paying a living wage to workers is not unique to People’s; the sudden, sharp increases in the cost of living, as well as rapid increases to the cost of grocery goods, affects co-ops and other grocery stores across the industry. At People’s, we have been working diligently to make sure our wages are comparable to those of other grocery stores in our region– which have fallen well below current living wage standards in recent years.

As Collective Managers, we have conflicting policies that require us to balance the commitment to pay workers a living wage and the directive to ensure that the co-op is profitable and sustainable. During these challenging years of the pandemic, out of necessity, we have prioritized the sustainability and profitability of the co-op.

However, at a time when the cost of living for workers is skyrocketing due to inflation and high housing costs, continuing to pay People’s workers less than a living wage is proving unsustainable over the long-term.

What are some impacts of not paying a living wage?

The effects of failing to pay a living wage extend beyond the individuals who comprise our staff. Wage deficiency also impacts the well-being and sustainability of the co-op itself. 

The serious impacts of paying most collective managers and staff a less than living wage include:

• High turnover

• Difficulty in recruitment and retention

• Loss of institutional knowledge

• Loss of experienced and skilled workers

• Some collective managers and staff require second jobs to meet basic needs, impacting their availability and energy for People’s

• Absence or limited presence of workers who support families

• Negative impact on workers who are also parents or who are caring for dependents

• Difficulty in meeting goals of creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse workforce when wages paid are not able to keep up with the cost of living.

What’s the gap cost in dollars?

In a recent calculation, we have estimated that the deficit in the labor budget for one year (strictly in terms of dollars) that prevents People’s Food Co-op from paying all workers a living wage is approximately $200,000.00.*

*This calculation was made in early 2023.

This figure may not include all associated costs of raising wages for all People’s workers.

What is the impact on co-op staff?

Looking strictly at dollars in our annual labor budget, we can assume that this budget gap of $200,000 is currently being borne by the 33 co-op staff (as of summer 2023, 21 Collective Managers and 12 substitute staff). 

This same number of  $200,000, when spread across 33 workers amounts to an average of $6,060 per worker. This is the financial impact of the wage gap on workers at the co-op.

How can we get People’s workers back to a living wage?

This is the challenging question we, as a community, are presented with.

Until now, the approach of the Collective Management in addressing this living wage gap has been to work as hard and as strategically as possible to increase sales, to try to keep the sales-per-labor-hour within an optimal range, and to continue to improve the profit margin of the co-op so that we can then responsibly raise worker wages. 

However, with current high rates of inflation and costs of housing in Multnomah County, we are realizing that it is not possible to raise pay to a living wage for all workers using this traditional equation, at least not with the size of our current location. While the cost of living has drastically increased, we are not able, given the physical reality of our store, to increase profits to match those increases. In other words, the numbers simply don’t work, in our current location, for the foreseeable future.

For this reason, we need to think outside the box in order to bring the wage scale at People’s back towards a level that is sustainable over the long term for the Collective Management, staff and for the well-being of the co-op itself. This means thinking creatively to develop a plan to bring workers back to a living wage.

Conclusion

We hope that Member-Owners will help us think through these questions, and we welcome support from Member-Owners in helping to bring People’s Food Co-op back into alignment with our values of paying all workers fairly, and with our policy that makes a commitment to pay all workers a living wage. 

We look forward to discussion with you in conversations beyond.

People’s Living Wage Working Group emerged from a series of Worker Well-Being Conversations with the Collective Management (CM) in late 2022 and early 2023, and convened recently at our CM Confluence in May, 2023. At this gathering, we made a commitment to identify the challenges that currently prevent the co-op from paying a living wage to all workers, and to generate discussion among collective managers and member-owners about what might be done to reduce the financial burden of this on workers and the CM who staff the co-op.

Staff Last-Minute Gift Guide

Shop Community-Owned This Season

This gifting season, consider shopping locally at People’s. Your dollars go much farther here than larger corporations. Our income goes towards our community-owned Co-op and our employees, and when we have a profitable year we give dividends back to all Member-Owners. We purchase our product from small local businesses whenever possible. In short, shopping at People’s means your money stays in Portland and benefits the local community. Remember, you can use your quarterly 10% Member-Owner coupon and 5% Food For All discounts on gifts!

Last-Minute Gift Picks

For the Co-op Obsessed

• People’s Beanie - $20

• People’s Klean Kanteen Water Bottle - $24.99

• People’s Klean Kanteen Camp Mug - $21.99

• People’s Patch - $5.00

• People’s Tote - $12.00

• Give the gift of good food, give a People’s gift card!

• Membership to the Co-op - $30/year or $180 for life!

For the Foodie

• Finnriver Black Currant Apply Brandy (local) - $22.49

• Mon P’tit Pithon French Red Blend - $19.49

• Vital Leaf Maple Crunch Chocolate Bar (local) - $8.79

• HU Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Bar - $3.79

• Mitoku’s Ume-Su pickled plum juice and Umeboshi Plum Paste - $5.99/lb (juice), $5.99 (paste)

• Thai Home Num Prik Pao Sweet Chili Paste (local) - $11.29

• Laurel Hazelnut Oil (local) - $13.99

• Culinary Breeding Network Radicchio Zine (local) - $10

• Co-op Collab Honey (local) - $11.99

• Roseline Coffee (local) - $14.99 - $20.00

• Chai Me Home Masala Chai Blend (local) -

• Cloudforest Magic Cacao, Hazelnut, Dates Spread (local) - $16.59

• Barnacle Foods Kelp Serrano Hot Sauce - $6.99

• Jacobsen Co Salty Caramels (local) - $6.19

Gifts for Hosts

• Co-op Collab Spiced Pear Kombucha (local) - 2 for $6

• Accompani Vermouth (local) - $24.99

• Cooper Mountain Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (local) - $22.99

• Raw Cider Co Pet Nat (local) - $19.99

• Holiday Wreath*(local) - $55

• Shoofly Vegan Pie (local) - $25

• Rigel Paper cards - $5/each

• Cultured Kindness Vegan Cashew Cheese (local) - $11.49

• Point Reyes Toma Truffle Cheese - $8.29

• Cheers to the Land Common Ale Buoy Beer Co (local) - $3.49

• Baraka Ceramic Herb jar - $14.99

Self-Care

• Little Moon Essentials Themed Unwinding Kit $24.99

  • Kit includes face/body mist, lotion, bath salts, exfoliant

• Mushroom Candles by Guinevere’s Candles (various sizes) $9.99 - $23.99

• Fat & the Moon All Cream – $16- $36

• Camamu Swagger Toner and Aftershave (local) – $9.99

• Wild Carrot Mountain Cypress Lotion – $19.99

• Silver Facial Mud Mask - 9.99

• Hemlock Toiletry bag - $23.99

• Sea o Salt jovial sun soaking salt (local) – $9.99

• Fat and the Moon perfumes – $47

• Little Moon - Shine on Sugar body exfoliant – $16.99

• Camamu Unrepentant Rose Soap (local) – $6.99

For Those Seeking Hygge

• Young Mountain Teas tea sampler – $9.69

• Healing Earth Mushroom Hot Chocolate (local) – $6.99

• Maggie’s Infinity Scarf – $37.99

• Maggie’s Leg Warmers - $30

• Stirs the Soul Chocolate Bars (local) – $3.69 ea

• Maggie’s Snuggle Socks – $14.99

• Ceramic Beeswax Candles by Sunbeam - $21.99

• Portland Beeswax Candle Company - (local)- $8.00 - $30.00

• Great River Farm beeswax candles (local) - $3.99-$7.99

• Melchamy Elderberry Mead (local) - $23.99

• Maggie’s Rainbow Mittens - $30

Holiday wreaths* are made by Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas, an organization of farmworker women associated with PCUN in Woodburn, OR. MLP is an organisation for and led by farmworker women who organize for better living and working conditions. During the off-season, MLP employs women to make wreaths to provide income during the slowest part of the Oregon farming season and to fundraise for their year-round work.

Thank you for supporting your neighborhood co-op!

Support Indigenous Communities This Season

This time of year holds holidays like columbus day and thanksgiving, which promote misleading and harmful narratives about the “discovery” and european settler-colonization of this continent. As a community-owned grocery store doing business on the stolen land of Chinook, Cowlitz, and Clackamas peoples, we believe it’s important and necessary for us to give some of the wealth and resources we collectively accumulate back to Indigenous organizations and communities.

In addition to supporting Indigenous organizations and businesses, we encourage our community to also educate yourselves about the land you’re on, the people it was stolen from, the history of colonization, and the ways you can support Indigenous survivance and resistance.

Find out whose land you’re on here!

Here are some links to some Indigenous organizations you can learn about, donate to, and tell the people in your life about this season:

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

Founded by the community, for the community, NAYA is a family of numerous tribes and voices who are rooted in sustaining tradition and building cultural wealth. We provide culturally-specific programs and services that guide our people in the direction of personal success and balance through cultural empowerment. Our continuum of lifetime services create a wraparound, holistic healthy environment that is Youth Centered, Family Driven, Elder Guided.

The Chúush Fund!

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is experiencing a water crisis. Donations to this fund directly benefit the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as they work to restore their access and infrastructure for clean water. 

The Chinook Nation

“The Chinook Nation consists of the five western most Tribes of Chinookan peoples. Our history and constitution define us as being Lower Chinook, Clatsop, Willapa, Wahkiakum and Kathlamet. We have always resided in the lower Columbia River region and always will. We are proud of our heritage and inheritance and ask you to join us in celebrating our rich history and bright future.”

Na’ah Illahee Fund

“We are an Indigenous women-led organization dedicated to the ongoing regeneration of Indigenous communities. Through grantmaking, capacity-building and community-based intergenerational programming, we seek transformative change by supporting culturally grounded leadership and organizing.

“Focused on Indigenous Ecology, Food Sovereignty, and Wise Action, we work to advance climate and gender justice, while creating healthy pathways towards self-determination and movement-building.”

Wisdom of the Elders

“Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. records and preserves traditional cultural values, oral history, prophesy and other messages of guidance from indigenous elders in order to regenerate the greatness of culture among today’s and future generations of native peoples. As First Peoples, we are humbled by the wisdom of our elders and the deep connection they share with Great Spirit, the world of nature and family. We regard our elders as rapidly vanishing, irreplaceable keepers of oral history, tradition and environment. Values they extol represent an ancient legacy of knowledge which has become as endangered as many disappearing species in our fragile ecosystem.”

Navajo Water Project

“40% of Navajo still don’t have a sink or a toilet. So we bring clean, hot and cold running water to families across New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.”

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women USA

“MMIW USA’s number one mission is to bring our missing home and help the families of the murdered cope and support them through the process of grief. We give them hands-on support and guidance and if we don’t have the answers, we get the answers so that these families do not feel abandoned and alone in this struggle like so many have before them. Our broader goal is to eradicate this problem so that the future generations thrive. We are doing that through education of the threats that they face and self-defense. We just started a monthly program to do just that. It is called Staying Sacred and we educate and have self-defense lessons at every meeting. Our strength lies in the fact that every single one of the staff and volunteers have been assaulted or trafficked and our passion is to be the kind of organization that we needed growing up and beyond.”

Mitakuye Foundation

“The Mitakuye Foundation was created in 2010 as a direct response to the teen suicide epidemic on Pine Ridge. Many of the difficulties that the modern day Lakota deal with – like suicide, alcoholism, poverty, and teen pregnancy – are not inherently part of Lakota culture. They are the terrible by-products of colonization, oppression, and genocide. We create programs and support programs that not only help the youth to survive – but to thrive. All of our programming is geared towards students fortifying their cultural identities so they can turn to their traditions to tackle the difficult issues they face.”

Native Businesses to Support

Indigenous Marketplace directory - Visit this directory to connect with dozens of Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.

Mercatus Buy Native Guide - Find Native-owned local businesses of all kinds to support!

Holiday Markets Showcasing Native Businesses

Portland Indigenous Marketplace - 11/8-12/8 2023

My People’s Market - 12/2-12/3 2023

NAYA Native Made Winter Marketplace - 12/9-12/10 2023

Reading & Education

• Understanding Thanksgiving from Our Side of the Table (firstnations.org)

• 9 Ways to Decolonize and Honor Native Peoples on Thanksgiving (Cultural Survival)

• Unlearning with CoFed: Decolonization [Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive]

• Thanksgiving: the National Day of Mourning [PAPER Mag]

• This tribe helped the Pilgrims survive for their first Thanksgiving. They still regret it 400 years later. Long marginalized and misrepresented in U.S. history, the Wampanoags are bracing for the 400th anniversary of the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving in 1621 [The Washington Post]

• Native American Community Events, Museums, and Resources from Travel Portland

Invest in Your Co-op Share and Get a Free Gift!

Happy National Co-op Month! Every October, co-ops around the nation celebrate and spread awareness about our community-owned, community-centered business model. This year’s theme,“Owning Our Identity,” (National Cooperative Business Association, NCBA CLUSA) encourages us to celebrate and reflect on what makes cooperative businesses unique and resilient. “Guided by a set of shared principles and values—among them democracy, equity and solidarity—co-ops are hardwired for economic and societal transformation.” (NCBA CLUSA) Co-op Month is a great time to invest in your People’s share, enjoy special Co-op events, and encourage others to support People’s.

Invest $30 in your share and get a special gift bag containing goodies from Silver Falls Sustainability Co, Culinary Breeding Network, and People’s!

You can also get the gift if you donate $30+ to our Pay It Forward fund!

The Pay It Forward Membership Fund helps provide free Co-op memberships to community members who cannot afford the investment, as well as support for existing members who cannot afford to keep up with their upcoming member payments. This program is funded by People’s Member-Owners to expand access to Co-op membership benefits, including discounts, patronage dividends, and the ability to participate in the Co-op’s democratic processes.

Share Your Favorite Recipes for a $25 Gift Card to the Co-op

We need recipes and we know you have good ones. Everyone is welcome to submit recipes to our marketing team. If we publish your recipe, we will give you a $25 gift card to the Co-op!

Recipe Criteria:

We are looking for original vegetarian/vegan recipes with photographs. Original recipes include favorite recipes that you’ve created, significantly adapted, or recipes passed to you by friends/family. We love when recipes are accompanied by stories, photographs, tips, song recs, and drink pairings. We also love when recipes reference products that we sell at the Co-op or Farmers’ Market. Recipes can be sweet, savory, snacks, full meals, drinks… anything as long as they’re vegan or vegetarian!

We are currently looking for recipes that contain one (or more) of the following ingredients/attributes:

• great for transitional, cool weather

• Holiday hacks, holiday meals

• local, seasonal fruit/veg:

  • pears, apples, pumpkin, kabocha, butternut squash, delicata squash, parsnips, chard, peppers, ginger, carrots, cabbage, cantaloupe, brussels sprouts, cranberries, radicchio, kale

Please email recipes and attachments to marketing@peoples.coop. Winning recipes will be distributed via newsletter, social media, blog post, and/or printed recipe card.

Roles and Responsibilities of Our Board

Written by Marc Brown, Director

Edited by Charlotte Clement, Director and Collective Manager

When it comes up in casual conversation that I am on the Board of Directors of People’s Food Cooperative, the reaction is often one of surprise.  “People’s is a nonprofit?” is often the response.  While it is true that nonprofits have directors and many of us are most familiar with the role of a director in a nonprofit, all corporations are required to have a board of directors consisting of owners who are elected by the owners to oversee the corporation.  We often think of directors of a corporation as wealthy investors in some large multinational corporation.  The Carl Ichan’s of the world.  However, People’s, as a cooperative corporation, has a board of directors in the same way that Apple or General Motors have boards of directors.  

As the conversation continues, the question arises about what a director of People’s Food Cooperative does in that role.  The answer is that a director at People’s has a very similar role to a director at Apple or General Motors.  The one significant difference has more to do with People’s nonhierarchical management structure.  In a traditional hierarchical corporation, the CEO, manager, or executive director is the link between the directors and the operation.  In other words, the directors are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.  Instead, they rely on the expertise of the CEO.  

At People’s, which is collectively managed, the Directors have delegated the authority of the manager to the Collective Management or CM.  In our model, the CM chooses one of its members to be the “Link” between the operations and the directors. 

Often, when describing what People’s Board of Directors do, it is easiest to begin with what the Directors do not do.  A Director does not directly oversee the daily operations of the store.  For example, if a Director is in the store and notices that the Co-op no longer stocks their favorite chocolate bars, that Director does not have the authority, as a director, to order the Collective Management to resume stocking that chocolate bar.  As an individual Owner, that Director could make a request that People’s resume stocking that item but that Director is not acting under their authority as a Director but as an Owner and customer.  A director also does not have the authority to act on their own without a Board vote to authorize them to do so.  The authority of the Board of Directors is as a whole and not as individuals.  

Having explained what the Directors of People’s do not do, what is it that they do?  First and foremost, the Directors represent the interest of the Member-Owners.  It is ultimately the owners who have elected the Directors and they empower the Board of Directors to act on their behalf.  The Board has three primary roles: provide a long-range vision for People’s, engage the owners, and ensure that People’s acts within the law.  

The Directors provide long-range vision primarily through its Ends statements.  The Ends statements are the aspirational goals of People’s, or the point on the horizon towards which we steer.  The Ends statements, created by the Board of Directors, is:

A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, and social and economic justice.

1. Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies 

2. A safe welcoming community where all are valued

3. Democratic workplace where all workers’ voices are valued 

4. Access to healthful foods our customers can trust

Every action that the board takes should further these Ends.  If People’s is operating in a manner that goes against one of those Ends, the Board’s role is to use its authority to redirect that particular action to align with the Ends.  For example, if the Board of Directors is informed that a person felt like they experienced discrimination while shopping at People’s, the Board asks the Collective Management, through the Collective Management link, to investigate the complaint and report back to the Board.  

Additionally, the Board has created a number of policies to guide the Collective Management.  These policies do two things.  First, the policies ensure that the Cooperative is operating within the law and in a financially prudent manner.  At the start of each year, the Board sets out a schedule for the Collective Management to report on each policy.  The Directors review the reports to ensure that the Collective Management is following the policies.  Second, the policies guide the activities of the Board by providing procedures within which the Board operates.  The Board can modify, delete, or add policies as it deems necessary.  

The second role of the Directors is Owner-Member engagement.  The Directors are elected by the Member-Owners and represent the interest of the Owners.  Each Director is an Owner.  To keep the owners informed about People’s, the Directors seek opportunities to engage the Owners in conversation around People’s.  This may be in the form of a book club on a topic related to People’s or a presentation sponsored by the Directors or staffing a table at the Farmer’s Market and any of a number of creative ways to engage with the Owners.

Finally, the Directors are responsible for ensuring that People’s is operating within the law and in a financially responsible manner.  Oregon has specific laws that apply to cooperative corporations.  In essence, those laws require the Directors to act in the best interest of the Cooperative, and to avoid conflicts of interest.  Additionally, the Board, by the corporate bylaws and policies, requires the CM to get approval from the board prior to committing People’s to certain financial liabilities.  

That all sounds like a lot of work.  Why would a Member-Owner decide to become a Director?  If asked, each Director likely has their own reasons.  For me, it stems from an interest in working with a diverse group of creative and dynamic individuals; Directors and the CM.  I am also a strong believer in the cooperative economy and being a Director allows me to engage in ways to build upon the success of People’s as a consumer-owned cooperative.  Finally, I believe it is critical for each owner to step up and serve as a Director.  Over People’s 53-year history, the Board has been critical to People’s continued viability and, for People’s to continue its viability for another 53 years, it needs creative, dynamic, and enthusiastic Owners to take on the responsibilities of a Director.  And, as a bonus, each Director gets a 15% discount on all store purchases.  

Over the next few weeks, you will see Directors at the Farmer’s Market and in the courtyard.  Stop by and ask them why they decided to step up and become a Director.  Perhaps their answers will resonate with you.  If so, you can ask them about becoming a Director.  The election season is upon us.  

Learn more about the Board and fill out an application today! Board applications are due by April 23rd. Apply online or in person at the Co-op.

Celebrate Earth Day at our Farmers Market!

Celebrate Earth Day at our Farmers Market

Wednesday, April 19th from 2-7p at the Co-op

Farmers:

This list will grow and change. Check back here for updates!

• Gales Meadow (vegetable starts)

• MC Family Farms (flowers, veggies)

• Farmageddon (flowers, starts, vegetables, dried chillies & much more)

• Empowered Flowers (vegetables, sauces & much more)

• Gee Creek Farm (bread, spreads, micro greens, grains, nut butters)

• Great River Farm (vegetables, honey, candles, gifts, sauces)

• Mushroomery (mushrooms)

Vendors:

This list will grow and change. Check back here for updates!

• Sara’s Tamales (prepared Oaxacan cuisine: tamales, tacos, burritos, agua fresca, and more)

• Vtopian (vegan cheese)

• Ona Yogurt (vegan yogurt)

Community Booths:

• Master Gardiners

• Oregon Bee Atlas

• Master Recyclers

• People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors

Crafts:

• Make your own garden starts using up-cycled egg cartons!

Giveaways:

• Sunflower starts from Lil’ Starts Farm

• Free Raffle: Bulk Starter Packs and more!

Entertainment:

This list may change. Check back here for updates!

• Live music

• Goats thanks to Fraga Farm!

March 2023 COVID Update

March 2023 COVID Update:

Masks Recommended, not required, for customers starting Thursday, 3/16

Mask-Required shopping available 9am-11am daily

This March marks the 3rd year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 3rd year of the Co-op’s Collective Management thoughtfully navigating how to continue to serve our communities while keeping our staff and shoppers safe.

In 2020, the Collective Management decided that masks would be required for all shoppers and staff inside the Co-op. We’ve continued to uphold the mask requirement – even after most businesses have dropped theirs – to maintain the safest-possible environment for staff and shoppers, especially those who are immune-compromised.

After careful consideration and much discussion, our Collective Management has decided to shift our policy to Masks Recommended for customers, instead of required, starting on Thursday, March 16th. However, to make sure that safer shopping options are available, we will reserve 9am-11am daily for Masks-Required Shopping. 

This means that masks will be required for customers only between 9am-11am daily, and that masks will be recommended, not required, from 11am-9pm.

The Curbside Pickup program will still be available as a safer shopping option.

Thank you for understanding. Please email questions and concerns to info@peoples.coop.

Why are you making this change?

Oregon Health Authority will lift mask mandates in health care settings in early April. With this in mind, the Collective Management decided that after 3 years of upholding this policy, we need to shift our energy toward our own safety, the store itself, and our other means of providing a safer shopping experience. This was a challenging decision to make, especially with our immune-compromised community members in mind. This is why we will continue to have Mask-Required hours at the beginning of the day, when the air and surfaces are fully refreshed. The CM made this decision through our consensus decision-making process, which makes space for clarity, thoughtful discussion, and for all co-managers’ voices to be heard.

What's Up With Eggs?

Isaac Tertel, Perishable Buyer

Charlotte Clement, Marketing Manager

Have you noticed that egg prices skyrocketed over the last couple months? Its because of the Avian Flu. Avian flu outbreaks at conventional egg production facilities (hens living in cages) have significantly reduced egg production. In 2022, over 50 million chickens in the US were slaughtered to prevent the spread of Avian Flu. (Funk, 2022)

Because we do not carry any “conventional” eggs, our supply has not been affected by this shortage. As we see egg prices go up in other stores, ours have remained about the same. However, increased demand may begin to drive up our egg prices soon. One of many great reasons to support small, local, and ethical egg farms is that none of our producers have (yet) been affected by this outbreak.

The beloved egg chart that hangs near our egg cooler. Here folks can learn about farm living conditions, so customers can use their best judgement when purchasing eggs. We carry four types of carefully curated eggs: Deck, Wag, Stiebrs, and Country Eggs.

Ultimately, the egg "crisis" has been demonstrative of the ethical and safety issues associated with commercial farming. Things seem to be going back to normal in larger grocery stores as the egg supply strain is healing, but nothing has changed about the practices and conditions in major egg production facilities.

As long as conventional farms continue to prioritize profit and output above all else, their supply will be particularly susceptible to outbreaks and other disasters. Consider buying local to source ethically produced eggs, mitigate the environmental impact of eating animal products, and support your farmer!

Little Labels, Big Impact

Celebrate Little Labels with Fairtrade Americaand the Non-GMO Project

If you’re like many shoppers, you want to know how the food you buy affects people and the planet, including how it was grown, harvested and produced. You seek out greater transparency from stores like ours, as well as from your favorite brands and the companies who produce your food.

We, too, believe you have a right to know if what you’re buying aligns with your values! That’s where third-party certifications play a big role. When you see the little labels by independent third-party certifiers on your food, you know that product underwent a rigorous evaluation to ensure it met a set of strict standards.

To highlight the positive impacts these labels make, this January we’re celebrating Little Labels, Big Impact all month – honoring Fairtrade America, Marine Stewardship Council and the Non-GMO Project! By looking for the Non-GMO Project Butterfly, Fairtrade America and Marine Stewardship Council labels, you can shop sustainably throughout our store! Read on to learn how they are driving big, meaningful change in our food system!

What is Non-GMO Project Verified?

GMOs (or genetically modified organisms) are living organisms whose genetic material has been manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and/or virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. 

Non-GMO Project verification means that a product is compliant with the Non-GMO Project Standard, the most rigorous third-party standard for GMO avoidance, which includes stringent provisions for ingredient testing and traceability and the most up-to-date definitions around new GMO techniques.
 

What is Fairtrade America?

Every day, we enjoy products planted, grown, harvested and transported by farmers and workers around the world. . These farmers and workers often do not earn enough to have a decent living — that is, to eat nutritious food, send their kids to school, have adequate shelter and weather a crisis (like COVID-19). Many live on less than $2 per day.

The Fairtrade Mark works towards rebalancing trade. By choosing Fairtrade, you are choosing to prioritize the farmers and workers behind our everyday purchases. You are choosing products that are certified to meet the rigorous standards developed in partnership with producers.

Global Supply Chain Crisis or Thriving Local Economies Crisis?

Global Supply Chain Crisis or Thriving Local Economies Crisis?

by Marc Brown, Director, People’s Food Co-op Board 

November 2022

Lately, I have been thinking about shoes.  Stick with me on this one.  Before the industrial revolution, every town had a cordwainer, a person who made shoes (most people mistakenly call a shoemaker a cobbler but, in fact, a cobbler is someone who repairs shoes).  The cordwainer had a small shop in town where they made and sold shoes.  They were likely assisted by family members and apprentices and likely lived in a small apartment above the shop.  The cordwainer bought leather from a local farmer and nails and tools from a local blacksmith.  After the industrial revolution, cordwainers disappeared and “shoe manufacturers” appeared.  Shoe factories were built throughout the country and, eventually, the manufacturing moved overseas.  

People’s Food Cooperative has a “Global End” statement as part of our policies. The Global End statement is our aspirational goal, the place on the horizon towards which we navigate:

“A passionate community working together for sustainability, progressive land and animal stewardship, human rights, and social and economic justice.”

A subpart of our Global End is, “Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies.”  By supporting and encouraging cooperative and local economies, we move towards that point on the horizon.  But what does it mean to support and encourage thriving, cooperative and local economies? 

People’s is a grocery store--our grocery store.  We, the owners, have instructed the Collective Management, the collective of staff who operate our store, to support cooperative and local economies by nestling these words in our Global End.  But why does that matter?  In this age of online commerce, when someone with a device can order nearly anything from anywhere and have it appear on their doorstep within a few days, why does it even matter if we have a local economy?  

Throughout the past two and a half years, we have seen the ugly effects of the global economy.  During the first year of the pandemic, we saw families understandably turning to online retailers to purchase good that had previously been purchased from local businesses, to safeguard their health.  The result was the loss of many locally run establishments, some of which had been in business for decades.  Suddenly, as we emerge from our pandemic bunkers, we notice many empty storefronts where our favorite stores had been located.  Now, the only places to purchase those goods are through online retailers who, in turn, purchase goods from far away manufacturers.  A direct result is that that money does not become re-circulated in the local economy, but is dispersed across a supply chain across multiple continents. 

Then, we saw the crisis in global shipping.  Because demand for goods from across vast oceans was so great in the United States, our ports could no longer handle the volume.  Massive ships packed with thousands of shipping containers (the average container ship can hold 15,000 shipping containers and some up to 60,000 containers) waited for weeks in harbors for a spot in the port to unload their goods.  

Overall, this has been called the “global supply chain crisis.”  However, a more accurate term is the “Thriving Local Economy Crisis.”  The global supply chain deteriorates thriving, local, and cooperative businesses. If our local economies were thriving, whether the global supply chain was in crisis would not have such a dramatic and noticeable effect on us.  

This, of course, brings us back to our little grocery store.  The Collective Management strives to purchase as much of the goods it sells from local producers. Of course, “local” is a relative term and necessarily so.  I have not seen a grapefruit tree in the Portland area (although the way things are moving, in a hundred years or so we may yet see a thriving local grapefruit crop).  But much of the produce carried by People’s is from our local “foodshed.”  In 2021, they sourced farm-direct from 33 farms in Oregon and Washington, representing 26% of the co-op’s produce sales for the year.  Produce sourced from our local food-shed (Oregon and Washington) accounted for 57% of total produce sales in 2021. Produce from Oregon farms alone accounted for 68% of local food-shed produce sales and 39% of total produce sales. Much of the dairy products People’s sells are from the region, the tofu is produced by Ota Tofu located a few miles away from the store, and really anything that our store sells that is grown or manufactured in the region is purchased locally or regionally.  For example, People’s Product Selection Guidelines for produce department states, “People’s produce buyers endeavor to promote local, sustainable farming by maintaining a network of growers who sell produce directly to the co-op.”  In fact, nearly every department includes local products as a criteria whenever possible.  

Sourcing directly from local farmers and food-makers is one of the reasons why People’s, unlike many large grocery stores, has not seen empty shelves over the past year.  By supporting local businesses, our store is helping to ensure that our community is not as reliant upon the global supply chain.  We are fortunate to live in a region of abundance.  And, while it is true that many items we purchase are not produced in our country, we can build up our local economy.  People’s places that purpose front and center of everything we do.  Our little grocery store does what it can to be a bridge between local producers and local consumers.  

Which brings us back to the cordwainer.  Oregon does still have a few cordwainers but the days of a thriving local shoemaking economy is long gone.  If we want shoes, we can no longer purchase locally produced shoes.  However, we can ensure that the thriving local economy continues to thrive, we can strive to support parts of our local economy that are struggling, and, perhaps, we can look to rebuild the lost local economies.  When that happens, our region will no longer be as reliant upon the global supply chain as we are today.  That is why “Thriving Cooperative and Local Economies” is something we, the owners of People’s Food Cooperative, aspire to sustain.