Are you a co-op member? Are you in need of new mattress and box springs? If so, help recruit families to join the Cedar Falls Food Co-op by hosting a house party. This is an event in which you invite friends, family, co-workers, and other acquaintances to learn more about the benefits of membership in the Cedar Falls Food Co-op. As an incentive, our business partner Foster’s Mattress has donated a new Serta Perfect Sleeper Queen Euro Top (retail value is $1300) which includes the mattress and box springs. Every time you host a house party you are entered into a drawing to win this bed set.

What is a house party? It is basically anything you wish it to be. It can be as simple as hosting a potluck meal, inviting friends over to watch a food-related documentary, or going out for a snowshoe or cross-country ski excursion and coming back to your house for hot chocolate and chili. The sky is the limit on what you can do. The only stipulations are that you are a current member, you invite at least some people who are not yet members, and you invite a co-op board or committee member to stop in to help you talk about the Co-op and answer any questions your guests have. By providing us with your guest list and a brief description of the event, you will be entered into the drawing if you have hosted your party between December 1 and February 29.

As we march toward our goal of acquiring at least 1,000 members before we open the store, you as a co-op member will help us get there. These house parties are a proven way to encourage others you know to join our efforts. We even have a house party packet to make it easy for you. If you have any questions or this has inspired you to go to your calendar to pick a date, contact the Co-op at info@cedarfallsfoodcoop.org.

Four representatives of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op attended the “SMALL AND STRONG” Food Co-op Conference in Bloomington, MN, on November 7, 2015.  We learned from industry experts with organizations like Food Co-op Initiative, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, and CDS Consulting Co-op and networked with other Midwest food co-ops.  With topics like Financing the Startup Co-op and Designing an Effective Member Recruitment Campaign, we all returned with many new take-aways, but also with much reinforcement and encouragement.

For starters, we’re not in this alone: just in the Midwest, there are plenty of opportunities to collaborate with food co-ops that are in startup mode, as well as great consultants who make helping co-ops their life’s work.  We are making a difference for our community; a co-op strengthens the entire community and is a source of pride.  And while much of the funding for a food co-op comes from its member-owners, ownership is more than just capital. It’s a pledge of support and an important source of leverage.

We thank the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation and the other conference presenters and sponsors for this opportunity to connect and learn with other co-op folks in our region.  We look forward to attending again next year!

How would you like to treat your friends (and yourself) with a coffee break, baked goods, or even an epic living room dance party? This November, your Cedar Falls Food Co-op Board members and committee members want to THANK YOU for supporting the Co-op by offering their time and talents. The offerings range from landscaping advice to knitting lessons to live dinner music, and many, many more! Your co-op board is a talented bunch, and you won’t want to miss out on seeing some of their passions as well as a chance to experience one firsthand. Be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter so you see these special incentives as they are posted. 

Here’s how it works: a couple times per week, the Co-op will post a new incentive on social media. The first person to join online after the incentive is posted wins it. Of course, all members who join, whether they win a giveaway or not, will be able to take advantage of all the benefits of membership. If you aren’t a member, this is a great time to join. If you are already a member, please help us out by sharing these posts and tagging friends who might be interested. 

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Are you taking advantage of the savings that our local business partner program provides Cedar Falls Food Co-op Members?

If not, you should DEFINITELY check it out because you could EASILY earn back your investment into the co-op just by sharing your membership card with well over a dozen local businesses that have shared specials to all of our card-carrying members.

We are adding new businesses as often as we’re able to. And this month we’re excited to welcome Laughing Tree Café, Mulligan’s & Singlespeed Brewing Co. to our list of growing partners.

We are SO thankful for all the local business owners that believe in us, our business model & our mission enough to partner with us & pass along savings to our amazing family of owners!! Yes, that would be YOU! Not only do you get to own a grocery store with your friends, but you get to save money at many local area businesses that you’re most likely already shopping at…and if you’re not shopping there, please check out these places because these people believe in the culture & community of our wonderful town!

Click here to go to the entire listing of Business Partner Specials on our website.

Co-ops are valuable additions to the communities they belong to. Watch this quick video to learn what your Cedar Falls Food Co-op can bring to our town!

Winter Getaway Package:

If you are considering joining the Cedar Falls Food Co-op, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. October is National Co-op Month, so what better time to join? In preparation for the upcoming winter months, if you become a new member this month, either with full payment or by starting our monthly partial payment plan, we will enter you into a drawing for a Weekend Winter Getaway Package. You and up to five others can escape to the Big Woods Lake Cabin in Cedar Falls. This two-bedroom cabin comes with a kitchenette, living room, and bathroom with hot and cold running water. Head to the cabin on a snowy winter weekend and enjoy free ski and snowshoe rental for your whole crew. In addition, you will have a package of goodies to help keep your tummies warm and filled including hot chocolate, red wine, and some healthy snacks. Special thanks to Black Hawk County Parks, Europa Cycle & Ski, and the Runners Flat for their generous donations to make this package possible.

If you’re excitement for fall and Halloween is dampened by concerns over the amount of processed candy handed out to kids, join in the Teal Pumpkin Project to help provide safe and healthy alternatives on Halloween night.

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