April Change for Good: ScienceWorks

ScienceWorks: Growing Sustainably, Connecting Community

At ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum, we believe that learning should be an adventure—one that inspires curiosity, fosters creativity, and brings people together. As we look to the future, our focus is on sustainable growth: improving our visitor experience, adapting to a changing world, and deepening our connection with the community. This April, we are honored to be the Ashland Food Co-op’s Change for Good recipient, giving our community a unique opportunity to support our mission. Your donation helps us create a more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable museum experience for everyone.

Building a More Sustainable Future

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s about building a resilient, inclusive space where everyone belongs. ScienceWorks is committed to making our facility more sustainable and accessible, ensuring that future generations can continue to explore, learn, and grow. Through strategic partnerships and innovative projects, we are taking steps to improve our infrastructure and minimize our environmental footprint.

One excitig initiative is our collaboration with Wheel the World, a program dedicated to assessing and improving accessibility for travelers with disabilities. This effort will help make ScienceWorks, as well as local businesses and attractions, more inclusive and welcoming. By participating in this initiative, we are strengthening our commitment to providing a space where all visitors can fully engage with hands-on science exploration.

Engaging, Hands-On Learning

Education is at the heart of everything we do. This year, we are expanding our hands-on workshops, interactive exhibits, and special events to reach even more learners. One of our upcoming projects is the Vesper Meadows: Inspired Art traveling exhibit, which will highlight the Vesper Meadows Restoration Preserve, connecting visitors to the science of conservation and ecosystem recovery. Through exhibits like this, we aim to inspire a deeper understanding of our local environment and the importance of sustainability.

Additionally, we are growing our educational programs to better serve underserved communities. By expanding outreach efforts and offering new workshops, we can help foster the next generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers. Science should be accessible to all, and your support ensures that we continue breaking down barriers to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education.

Join Us for Earth Day!

Mark your calendars for Friday, April 25, as we celebrate Earth Day at ScienceWorks! This special event will feature an afternoon of hands-on activities, local vendors, and interactive experiences focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Earth Day is a call to protect our planet for future generations, and we invite you to join us in learning, exploring, and taking action for a more sustainable future.

Why Your Support Matters

ScienceWorks thrives because of our community. Your donation is more than just a gift—it’s an investment in curiosity, education, and connection. It helps us create engaging exhibits, expand programming, and improve our facility to better serve visitors of all ages and abilities.

When you round up at the register in April, you are directly contributing to these efforts. Your generosity supports:

  • New interactive exhibits like the Vesper Meadows: Inspired Art traveling exhibit
  • Expanded educational programs for underserved communities
  • Sustainability initiatives to make our museum more planet-friendly and accessible
  • Inclusive experiences through collaborations like Wheel the World

We are all part of an interconnected ecosystem, and by lifting each other up, we create a thriving, vibrant community. ScienceWorks is proud to be a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to explore, discover, and grow.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Together, we can shape a brighter, more sustainable future—one that sparks curiosity, fosters innovation, and strengthens our community. See you at ScienceWorks!

More Co-op News

The Co-op is getting a refresh

We are giving our store a much-needed fresh coat of paint. We think you'll enjoy the changes!

When

The painting team will begin our project on February 5th, 2020 with a start time of 9pm.

Where

The entire retail store, deli serving area and interior seating area will receive a fresh new coat of paint.

Timeline

If all goes as planned, our painting project should be finished by February 20.

Will Store Hours Change?

No. We will be painting from 9pm to 5am.

Explore citrus!

Looking to explore some new citrus varieties? Know more before you go! Check out the many types of sweet, sour and somewhere in between that you can enjoy at the Co-op! (Availability may vary due to seasonality.)

Explore citrus varietiesMore citrus varieties

 

Taste for Life winter wellness giveaway

It's a month of giveaways from Taste for Life!

Giveaway #1 has finished up - so it's time for #2! This giveaway runs 1/27-2/2, so sign up below.

This package includes: NOW's Sabucus Zinc-C lozenges, Mushroom Wisdom's SX-Fraction, Bluebonnet's Stress Release formula, ChildLife's First Defense immune formula, Vitafusion's Organic Women's Multi vitamin, Quantum Health's Eye Health supplement, Kyo-Green Sprouts Blend digestion supplement, Solgar's full spectrum Curcumin supplement, and Solgar's No. 7 joint comfort supplement. 

Rogue Co-ops College Scholarship

As part of the Rogue Co-ops, a group of Rogue Valley cooperative businesses that includes Ashland Food Co-op, Grange Co-op, Medford Food Co-op, and Rogue Credit Union, we're excited to offer a scholarship opportunity to local high school students planning on attending college.

The Rogue Co-ops have collectively funded a $2,000 scholarship (and Grange Co-op offers an additional eight $1,500 scholarships) for students (in public, private or home school settings) who meet the following requirements:

Become an Owner-Volunteer with the AFC Board

The AFC Board of Directors is looking for owner-volunteers for three board committees: the Owner Engagement Committee (OEC), Board Development Committee (BDC), and AFC Gives Committee. 

Sustainability Update: Building on a Strong Foundation

Sustainability Update

Our team has been working on many different projects throughout the year, taking great steps to fulfill our four sustainability goals. Our four goals to achieve by 2030 are: carbon neutrality, zero waste, eliminating toxic chemicals, and being a leader in our sustainable community. We look forward to our sustainable success in the upcoming decade! 

2020: A vision for the future through Co-ops and local food

As the 2010s come to a close, the “20/20” eyesight analogy couldn’t be more appropriate for the new decade. With our eye on the future, there’s clearly a sense of urgency and awareness of the unique times we’re living in: a changing climate, increases in costs of living, and the shared pressures of a globalized world. 

5 Items to Try: Spreads, Condiments & Snacks

It's fun trying new things! Here are five items you can find at the Co-op with a distinctly international flavor. Whether you're spreading them on some bread or naan, mixing up a salad dressing, or just want something salty and crunchy to snack on, try these out next time you want to elevate your dishes.

10 Ways to Enjoy: Ginger Spread

Sometimes you might come across a product at the Co-op and ask, "That looks good, but how in the heck can I use it in my cooking?" To answer that question, we picked this Ginger Spread made by The Ginger People (famous for their Gin-Gin candies). Grab a jar and try some of these unique applications in your own kitchen - or get inspired to utilize it in another way.

Meet Your Board: Melina Barker

Hello, Co-op members! My name is Melina Barker, and I joined the AFC Board of Directors this July. Since then, I have been busy learning about all the work the previous members have done to craft strategic goals to support the success of the AFC.

Melina Barker

 

Smart Chicken® Holiday Giving in 2019

During the month of November, Co-op shoppers can nourish their own families and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley.

Over the years, Smart Chicken® and Ashland Food Co-op have teamed up to donate thousands of pounds of chicken to ACCESS. Smart Chicken® will once again donate Smart Chicken® products based on the total volume that shoppers purchase at Ashland Food Co-op to ACCESS.

Henry in the Garden: Already Preparing for the Spring

The bane of all gardeners is powdery mildew - that white substance that collects both on the tops and bottoms of the leaves of your healthiest vegetable plants. Cucumbers and zucchini seem to be more easily affected by this scourge than many others.

GM Report: Gratitude for a Great 2019 at the Co-op

It’s the season of gratitude and reflection on the year that has passed, and there is so much to be thankful for as a Co-op owner. 

2019 started off with the news that over $13,000 in emergency donations had been raised from Co-op owners and shoppers for support and relief efforts after Paradise, CA was leveled by a wildfire. This outpouring of our support was critical in the months after the fire, after the news trucks had left and the work of rebuilding began. I know how grateful we all are for the much calmer smoke season that our region experienced this summer. 

Rounding Up in October

Part of what makes co-ops unique are the guiding 7 Principles of Cooperation. One of the seven that is felt strongly in Ashland is "Concern for the community" - and that's why the Co-op is offering a new way to give back to our community for the month of October. When you pay at the register, you can round up your total to the nearest dollar. For example, $11.68 becomes $12, and $0.32 is donated.