May Day Community Block Party

Photography by Chelsea Whitney Art

On May 1st, several Southern Oregon businesses came together for a block party to provide a space to gather as a community after a rough spell due to the pandemic and fires. The May Day Block Party was hosted on Main St in Phoenix, where the scent of food trucks mingled with artisan goods such as local cheeses, locally farmed flowers, and even fresh-baked pastries.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a cheese seller smiles from behind her mask as she holds up two blocks of cheese to the camera
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

April’s Change for Good organization, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, provided information on their latest efforts to increase access to pollinator plants in the area.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a representative from Pollinator Project Rogue Valley stands in a flower print jacket in front of an informational table
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

Julie O’Dwyer, Board Vice-President and AFC Gives Committee Co-Chair represented The Ashland Food Co-op at the community-centric event.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art Julie O'Dwyer, Ashland Food Co-op (AFC) Board Vice President, smiles from behind a teal mask with an AFC sticker and AFC branded hat
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

The event generated activity for small businesses and provided the opportunity for them to connect with folks in attendance.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a man in a backwards orange cap looks on from the counter of his red food truck
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

One group in attendance was a new initiative for the recovery of Almeda Fire victims: Zone Captains. Find more information about their ongoing efforts at ZoneCaptains.org

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a woman stands grinning and waving to someone in the distance. She has star shaped stickers on her bare arms and legs and is holding a stack of Zone Captain flyers.
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

Photography by Chelsea Whitney Art

More Co-op News

Celebrate Ashland Food Co-op's 50th Anniversary

Ashland Food Co-op has been a staple in our community for 50 years and invites you to celebrate this anniversary with them on June 3rd, 2022 from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM, at the AFC employee parking lot for dancing, food, face painting and more!

Music by Eight Dollar Mountain and Wild and Blue.

Siano's Karibbean Cookhouse, Walkabout Brewing Co. and Rogue Kombucha will be joining us with delicious food and beverages available for purchase.

SOU Students Sign Up!

 

Open House Hiring Event

The Ashland Food Co-op is excited to provide employees with a fun, professional workplace with potential for growth and advancement. We see every day as an opportunity to better our community, our planet, and ourselves! Eligible employees will receive a 15% employee discount on all store purchases, affordable healthcare, 3.5 weeks of paid time off in your first year for vacation and sick days, matching 401K plan after 1 year, productivity and profit sharing bonus opportunities, free organic produce every day... and so much more!

Standing with Democracy

Our Community Food Co-op has joined, along with other co-ops across the nation, to donate to a Disaster Recovery Fund organized by National Co+op Grocers (NCG) Cooperation, Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) and National Co-op Business Association of the United States (NCBA CLUSA) to Co-op Ukraine to support cooperatives impacted by the war in Ukraine.