With over a year under our belt, there's a risk that our efforts to organize a co-op will lose steam but if last week was any indication, we still have plenty of steam left. The week started with our monthly educational event during which we hosted Shruthi of Cardamom Kitchen fame. (In fact, you may have already read about it.) The Newbold Civic Association welcomed Outreach Committee Co-chair Rachel Linstead Goldsmith on Monday to talk about the Co-op at their monthly meeting. Our outreach to the neighborhoods on the west side of Broad Street continues to pick up. On Wednesday, our good friends at Hawthornes Beer Boutique and Gourmet Eatery (738 S. 11th Street) hosted a fund raising event for us. The happy hour featured several delicious hors d'oeuvres (okay... I'll list them again: Smoked Salmon with cream cheese on crostinis, Pulled pork on slider rolls, Roasted red pepper hummus on Pita, Pico on tortilla chip, Bruschetta on Baguette, Tuna tartar on won ton, BBQ chicken quesadillas, Oven-roasted turkey on multigrain with sauerkraut and poblano aoili). Over 50 people enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres and drink specials (growlers, anyone?) helping the Co-op raise nearly $500. Some lucky folks won gift certificates or tickets donated by Calm, Zipcar, and Eastern State Penitentiary. All proceeds from events such as this go toward expenses we anticipate down the line including the market analysis and feasibility study that we'll need when we approach lenders for financing or the marketing materials that will help with our upcoming member-owner drive. A special thanks goes out again to South Philadelphia Tap Room for another such event back in December (before this blog was really up and running) and the Philly Community Wellness Center for donating a gift certificate that was awarded during the event. The end of the week arrived and we were just getting started. On Friday night, several of our more talented volunteers began dropping off some of the best looking baked goods South Philly has to offer. Somehow, Alison and I were able to resist the temptation to eat every single cookie occupying our dining room table just long enough to hand them over on Saturday morning to other committee members and volunteers who peddled them at the LoMo Spring Flea Market and Community Fair. Braving the breezy, sunshine-filled weather, this group brought in another $140. Meanwhile, a few blocks to the north, Amanda, Kat, Andy and I staked out a spot on East Passyunk Avenue to hand out brochures and solicit survey takers at the Flavors of the Avenue event. So while part of our group spent the day with cookies and cakes, the rest of them got to sit downwind from a big top tent filled with samples of Passyunk Avenue's finest restaurants. At least a hundred or so folks stopped by to learn about the Co-op and many of them have joined our growing list of potential member-owners. Thanks to everyone who filled out a survey. Any information and research that we compile ourselves is that much less that we have to pay professionals to find for our market analysis. And if you missed out on any of these events, we'll have plenty of additional opportunities for you to see us or volunteer to help out. On Saturday, May 7 we'll be tabling at the PEP Plant Sale (Broad and Federal) from 10am to 4pm. Interested in volunteering? Learn more about volunteer opportunities and fill out our Volunteer Interests Survey. I can almost guarantee you that someone will be in touch with in a day or two to take you up on your offer!

With over a year under our belt, there's a risk that our efforts to organize a co-op will lose steam but if last week was any indication, we still have plenty of steam left. The week started with our monthly educational event during which we hosted Shruthi of Cardamom Kitchen fame. (In fact, you may have already read about it.) The Newbold Civic Association welcomed Outreach Committee Co-chair Rachel Linstead Goldsmith on Monday to talk about the Co-op at their monthly meeting. Our outreach to the neighborhoods on the west side of Broad Street continues to pick up. On Wednesday, our good friends at Hawthornes Beer Boutique and Gourmet Eatery (738 S. 11th Street) hosted a fund raising event for us. The happy hour featured several delicious hors d'oeuvres (okay... I'll list them again: Smoked Salmon with cream cheese on crostinis, Pulled pork on slider rolls, Roasted red pepper hummus on Pita, Pico on tortilla chip, Bruschetta on Baguette, Tuna tartar on won ton, BBQ chicken quesadillas, Oven-roasted turkey on multigrain with sauerkraut and poblano aoili). Over 50 people enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres and drink specials (growlers, anyone?) helping the Co-op raise nearly $500. Some lucky folks won gift certificates or tickets donated by Calm, Zipcar, and Eastern State Penitentiary. All proceeds from events such as this go toward expenses we anticipate down the line including the market analysis and feasibility study that we'll need when we approach lenders for financing or the marketing materials that will help with our upcoming member-owner drive. A special thanks goes out again to South Philadelphia Tap Room for another such event back in December (before this blog was really up and running) and the Philly Community Wellness Center for donating a gift certificate that was awarded during the event. The end of the week arrived and we were just getting started. On Friday night, several of our more talented volunteers began dropping off some of the best looking baked goods South Philly has to offer. Somehow, Alison and I were able to resist the temptation to eat every single cookie occupying our dining room table just long enough to hand them over on Saturday morning to other committee members and volunteers who peddled them at the LoMo Spring Flea Market and Community Fair. Braving the breezy, sunshine-filled weather, this group brought in another $140. Meanwhile, a few blocks to the north, Amanda, Kat, Andy and I staked out a spot on East Passyunk Avenue to hand out brochures and solicit survey takers at the Flavors of the Avenue event. So while part of our group spent the day with cookies and cakes, the rest of them got to sit downwind from a big top tent filled with samples of Passyunk Avenue's finest restaurants. At least a hundred or so folks stopped by to learn about the Co-op and many of them have joined our growing list of potential member-owners. Thanks to everyone who filled out a survey. Any information and research that we compile ourselves is that much less that we have to pay professionals to find for our market analysis. And if you missed out on any of these events, we'll have plenty of additional opportunities for you to see us or volunteer to help out. On Saturday, May 7 we'll be tabling at the PEP Plant Sale (Broad and Federal) from 10am to 4pm. Interested in volunteering? Learn more about volunteer opportunities and fill out our Volunteer Interests Survey. I can almost guarantee you that someone will be in touch with in a day or two to take you up on your offer!

On Thursday April 14 at 7:30pm we are hosting an Event Planning Workshop. One of our volunteers is a former community organizer with experience in event planning and fund raising and will lead the workshop, showing us the model for planning a successful fundraiser. Workshop Details Goals of Workshop:

1. Discuss general principles for fund raising and event recruitment
2. Learn the How To! We will discuss setting goals for recruitment and fund raising, tactics to use along the way, and walk through the step by step process for creating a roadmap/plan to accomplishing specific fund raising and recruitment goals.
3. Generate ideas for fund raising/recruitment events

Who should attend this workshop:

• Anyone interested in learning more about fund raising and event planning to help the South Philly Food Co-op
• Anyone interested in planning/organizing South Philly Food Co-op fund raising and recruitment events

If you are interested in attending this workshop, please email southphillyfoodcoop.events (at) gmail.com for more details.

On Thursday April 14 at 7:30pm we are hosting an Event Planning Workshop. One of our volunteers is a former community organizer with experience in event planning and fund raising and will lead the workshop, showing us the model for planning a successful fundraiser. Workshop Details Goals of Workshop:

1. Discuss general principles for fund raising and event recruitment
2. Learn the How To! We will discuss setting goals for recruitment and fund raising, tactics to use along the way, and walk through the step by step process for creating a roadmap/plan to accomplishing specific fund raising and recruitment goals.
3. Generate ideas for fund raising/recruitment events

Who should attend this workshop:

• Anyone interested in learning more about fund raising and event planning to help the South Philly Food Co-op
• Anyone interested in planning/organizing South Philly Food Co-op fund raising and recruitment events

If you are interested in attending this workshop, please email southphillyfoodcoop.events (at) gmail.com for more details.

Volunteer opportunities such as the ones below are great ways to get to know more about the co-op, spread the word about it, get to know committee members and generally help to get the co-op started. These are very fun, low pressure activities that basically entail talking to people and telling them why a food co-op is such a good idea. No one is thrown out there on their own the first time to volunteer and volunteering does not obligate anyone to future events... though we could always use more folks on our committees! Tomorrow: Spring Cleanup The 4th annual Philly Spring Cleanup is tomorrow and the co-op thought that it would be a good time to get out into the neighborhoods to talk to Spring Clean up participants. While we would love to hit every civic association and neighborhood group throughout South Philadelphia we just don’t have the manpower to do that, so some of our Outreach Committee members have reached out to a few groups where they live and have received the okay from civic associations to hang out and have folks fill out surveys and just generally be around to answer any questions. The plan: hand out surveys and talk to people. There will probably be some handing out of trash bags, rakes, recycling bins too. Email southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com or respond as a comment to this blog post if you are interested in helping out at either of the opportunities listed below. We will gave a third, and possibly a fourth, location somewhere on the west side of Broad Street but those details are still being ironed out. LoMo - Partner with Julie, Outreach Committee member. Meet at 9am at South Philly High (2101 South Broad Street). Please let us know if you are interested in helping Julie out. Newbold Neighbors - Partner with Rachel, Outreach Committee member. Meet at 9:30 @ Ultimo (15th & Mifflin). Please let us know if you’re interested in helping Rachel out. ---------------------------------------------- April 30: Flavors of The Avenue East Passyunk Avenue will be bursting with flavor on the last Saturday of this month and we want to take advantage of that energy. From 12pm to 5pm we will have a table on East Passyunk somewhere between Dickinson and Morris and will be handing out brochures, asking people to fill out surveys and just generally talking up the foodie goodness of the Co-op. If you're interested in partnering up with Outreach Committee members Dan and Kat for all or part of the time, contact us at southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com. We could use people at 11:30 to help set up. Dan and Kat will gladly give you the quick orientation on answering the most frequently asked questions. This event is rain or shine and if it rains we'll have a tent because our other event that day has a scheduled rain date. ---------------------------------------------- April 30: LoMo Spring Market and Community Fair (Rain date: May 7) Dozens of tables will be set up on Broad Street between Snyder Avenue & Jackson Street. Event goes from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. We should be covered with set-up but anyone who wants to help out can meet us at 8:30 to help out. Let us know how many hours you can help out by emailing southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com or responding in the comments below. You'll be partnering up with committee members Julie (9am - 11am), Stephanie (11am - 1pm) or Cassie and Rachel (1pm - 3pm). We could also use volunteers to help with the planning process and have input into what we're going to do at this event. This will be a good opportunity to incorporate some family fun into the event. Last year we did a bake sale which was mildly successful mostly because we had a really terrific salesman helping us unload the table at the end of the day! We want to come up with an idea to attract people to the table. ---------------------------------------------- May 7: PEP Annual Plant Sale Looking for one or two more volunteers to help out at the PEP Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 7. It runs from 10am - 6pm at their office at 1200 South Broad Street. We can split it into 2 or 3 shifts of a few hours each. Partner up with committee member Rachel. This is an especially good volunteer activity for people who live west of Broad Street and want to help with our outreach efforts in that area. --------------------------------- Also, please note, we are going to try to hold a volunteer training session prior to these later events to give any prospective volunteers and idea of how to talk about the co-op. If you can't make that (time and place TBD), don't worry about it. One of our committee members will be at each event to answer any questions.

Volunteer opportunities such as the ones below are great ways to get to know more about the co-op, spread the word about it, get to know committee members and generally help to get the co-op started. These are very fun, low pressure activities that basically entail talking to people and telling them why a food co-op is such a good idea. No one is thrown out there on their own the first time to volunteer and volunteering does not obligate anyone to future events... though we could always use more folks on our committees! Tomorrow: Spring Cleanup The 4th annual Philly Spring Cleanup is tomorrow and the co-op thought that it would be a good time to get out into the neighborhoods to talk to Spring Clean up participants. While we would love to hit every civic association and neighborhood group throughout South Philadelphia we just don’t have the manpower to do that, so some of our Outreach Committee members have reached out to a few groups where they live and have received the okay from civic associations to hang out and have folks fill out surveys and just generally be around to answer any questions. The plan: hand out surveys and talk to people. There will probably be some handing out of trash bags, rakes, recycling bins too. Email southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com or respond as a comment to this blog post if you are interested in helping out at either of the opportunities listed below. We will gave a third, and possibly a fourth, location somewhere on the west side of Broad Street but those details are still being ironed out. LoMo - Partner with Julie, Outreach Committee member. Meet at 9am at South Philly High (2101 South Broad Street). Please let us know if you are interested in helping Julie out. Newbold Neighbors - Partner with Rachel, Outreach Committee member. Meet at 9:30 @ Ultimo (15th & Mifflin). Please let us know if you’re interested in helping Rachel out. ---------------------------------------------- April 30: Flavors of The Avenue East Passyunk Avenue will be bursting with flavor on the last Saturday of this month and we want to take advantage of that energy. From 12pm to 5pm we will have a table on East Passyunk somewhere between Dickinson and Morris and will be handing out brochures, asking people to fill out surveys and just generally talking up the foodie goodness of the Co-op. If you're interested in partnering up with Outreach Committee members Dan and Kat for all or part of the time, contact us at southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com. We could use people at 11:30 to help set up. Dan and Kat will gladly give you the quick orientation on answering the most frequently asked questions. This event is rain or shine and if it rains we'll have a tent because our other event that day has a scheduled rain date. ---------------------------------------------- April 30: LoMo Spring Market and Community Fair (Rain date: May 7) Dozens of tables will be set up on Broad Street between Snyder Avenue & Jackson Street. Event goes from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. We should be covered with set-up but anyone who wants to help out can meet us at 8:30 to help out. Let us know how many hours you can help out by emailing southphillyfoodcoop (at) gmail.com or responding in the comments below. You'll be partnering up with committee members Julie (9am - 11am), Stephanie (11am - 1pm) or Cassie and Rachel (1pm - 3pm). We could also use volunteers to help with the planning process and have input into what we're going to do at this event. This will be a good opportunity to incorporate some family fun into the event. Last year we did a bake sale which was mildly successful mostly because we had a really terrific salesman helping us unload the table at the end of the day! We want to come up with an idea to attract people to the table. ---------------------------------------------- May 7: PEP Annual Plant Sale Looking for one or two more volunteers to help out at the PEP Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, May 7. It runs from 10am - 6pm at their office at 1200 South Broad Street. We can split it into 2 or 3 shifts of a few hours each. Partner up with committee member Rachel. This is an especially good volunteer activity for people who live west of Broad Street and want to help with our outreach efforts in that area. --------------------------------- Also, please note, we are going to try to hold a volunteer training session prior to these later events to give any prospective volunteers and idea of how to talk about the co-op. If you can't make that (time and place TBD), don't worry about it. One of our committee members will be at each event to answer any questions.