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Health & Fitness

Suncoast Co-op is looking for volunteers for local food movement!

Suncoast Co-op is looking for volunteers for local food movement!

Suncoast Co-Op's mission is to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and consumers and to demonstrate, through our success, the contribution of worker co-operatives and fair trade to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable world.

Suncoast Co-op is looking for interested people who live in West Pasco or North Pinellas as volunteers for one of our committees leaders, who would be interested in joining our board of directors, and/or worker/owner/members of the co-op who can contribute in the creation of the low-hierarchical worker-owned cooperative.

Go to http://www.suncoastco-op.com to learn more about membership and our online market. We have an active online social network at https://www.facebook.com/SuncoastCoop and our group for discussions: https://www.facebook.com/groups/264378686981983/

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Email the Co-op if there is a particular place you would like to voluntarily contribute. suncoastcoop@gmail.com

If you would like more information on what a worker owned cooperative check out this short film: http://vimeo.com/38342677

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Committee
We have several committee's that our membership can participate with in order to increase the capacity of our cooperative.

Growers Committee
Responsible to establish liaison with the growers and coordinate with them to increase production of locally grown and produced food and products for the market.

Desired skills:

  • Able to generate and implement ideas with growers to bring more products onto the market
  • Coordinate with growers for helping with production
  • Organize volunteer activities such as Permablitz
  • Organize workshops to teach new growers and cottage industry for more products on the market. 


Marketing Committee

Responsible to establish the Suncoast Co-op brand and identity and develop the communications and educational materials to support that.

Members of this committee should have one or more of the following skills (in abundance):

  • Able to generate and implement ideas which bring people to our table with energy and enthusiasm
  • Able to write press releases and marketing material which does the same
  • Ability to develop collaborative communications and partner with other non-profit and educational organizations as required

Fundraising Committee

Responsible for creating and implementing the programs and events to raise capital for the co-op.

Members of this committee should have one or more of the following skills (in abundance):

  • Event management and organizational skills to pull together many elements of the puzzle
  • Willingness to collaborate with marketing
  • Creative fund-raising skills
  • Researching and writing of Grants and proposals
  • Ability to communicate to the general public
  • Time and enthusiasm -- to go door to door and hand out materials. . .. to sit at informational venues and solicit membership -- to assist with town hall or other gatherings -- to ask permission to post materials -- to staff fund-raising events

Membership Committee

Responsible for working with existing Membership to "rally the troops" to become the volunteer "hands" required to implement the marketing plan, fundraising strategies, dissemination of educational materials and other volunteer opportunities.

Members of this committee should have one or more of the following skills:

  • Enthusiasm
  • Organizational Skills
  • Time and enthusiasm -- to go door to door and hand out materials, to sit at informational venues and solicit membership -- to assist with town hall or other gatherings -- to ask permission to post materials -- to staff fund-raising events
  • Willingness to become knowledgeable about our Co-op and its impact on our community

Operations Planning Committee

Responsible for planning and implementing the detailed operational elements of the co-op.

This broad and critical committee requires varied skill sets, including:

  • Retail experience -- grocery experience would be very helpful
  • Understands inventory, purchasing, daily operations, etc.
  • Understands customer interaction and customer needs
  • Management of the ongoing operations of a business to ensure continuing improvement
  • Knowledge of local farming community
  • Legal understanding of co-op laws and regulations in Florida (or ability to get that and implement it)
  • Knowledge of and ability to ensure Compliance of appropriate government regulations relating to the store

Finance Committee

Responsible for establishing and maintaining financial controls and for managing the finances for the co-op under the direction of the Treasurer.

Skills include:

  • Knowledge of basic bookkeeping/cash-flow/ banking
  • Ability to research existing co-op systems and make appropriate recommendations
  • Ability to help define our financial systems within the structure of the proposed by-laws

Information Technology Committee

Responsible for the ongoing maintenance and development of our website and internal and external communication via IT. Please note that we currently have these skills, but are interested in identifying additional individuals to support our IT volunteers.

  • Software and web design
  • Social networking
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