The Co-op Board would like to thank Melanie Drake for her service as Outreach Coordinator!
We recognize that Melanie has been an incredible asset in this position. She has created and run consistent and successful membership drives, managed volunteers throughout the organization, assisted the board with projects, and has been dedicated to the mission of the Co-op from the very beginning. She has been, for seven years now, the face of the Co-op in our community and beyond. Her energy and positivity in this position has been priceless. There is no question that she will be missed.
We hope you will join us in thanking Melanie for her outstanding service and dedication to the Cedar Falls Food Co-op!
Joy Thorson has been a board member for three years and started a new term last November. What does she do in her spare time besides volunteer for the Cedar Falls Food Co-op? Since retiring from UNI (after 38 years) in 2015 she also volunteers at North Star Community Services spending time playing games and having conversation with the consumers that attend there. She was the Stage Manager for the last two productions that North Star has presented, Pinocchio and Shrek. She has also been active with both the Cedar Falls Community Theatre and the Waterloo Playhouse and has been in over 25 different plays in over 30 years. While every play has had a special place in her heart, one highlight was to play Ouiser Boudreax in Steel Magnolias along with an amazing cast of actors. “I love to make people laugh and that character certainly did just that.”
We really MISS seeing your smiling faces and connecting with each of you, but we want everyone to be safe and healthy. We look forward to the time when we can be gathered together again!
The UNI Local Food Program works to develop a local and regional food system that positively impacts local farmers, consumers and businesses through education, collaboration, and economic development. Local food and knowing where your food came from is now more than ever. While some of the national supply chain is currently being affected, local food producers can help fill those gaps and allow you to still provide your customers with fresh quality products while helping the local economy. 
Gratitude is especially significant at times like these, and we are grateful every day for our community and the many ways we support one another. One way we as a co-op benefit from this support is from investment by individuals and businesses in our community who purchase member shares. A member share provides ownership in this cooperative grocery store and gives the investor an equal voice and vote within the Co-op. This is unique to most other businesses. We look with hope toward our future, and believe that local businesses and community members will be the drivers getting all of us through the uncertainties to come. We can and will do this together.