May Board Reflection
We are coming up on our May Owner Drive and I want to express my gratitude for being a new member of the Open Harvest family. Being one of 2,800 owners of our grocery store brings me a strong sense of being rooted in cooperative values in local food, a resilient local economy, and a culture of inclusivity. As a newly appointed Board Member just a few months ago, witnessing the day in and day out hard work and dedication of the Open Harvest staff and board of directors, while in the face of a global pandemic, is truly inspiring. The safety, health, and community response we have seen from our store has inspired me personally and professionally to take a closer look at my day to day choices. We are all lucky to be connected to so many compassionate, smart, and dedicated leaders on the Open Harvest staff. To be an owner of the store with you all feels like the right place to be, now and into the future.
While we are all experiencing the COVID-19 differently, being an owner of Open Harvest means that we are actively investing in the health of Lincoln and Nebraska together. In turn, our co-op grants us all with voting rights, member discounts, and the pride of owning a grocery store together. Our co-op’s cooperative structure really makes our shared ownership unique. Our collective investment in Open Harvest continues to create a safe & healthy place to shop, nourish our families, and improve the economic health of our community.
With much uncertainty in our community’s near-term health, I am confident in Open Harvest’s ability as a strong cooperative organization that continues to improve the economic health of our local economy. The co-op continues to uphold socially & inclusive responsible practices and in turn, supports economic justice to improve our resiliency. These important goals outlined in our cooperative ends statement keep us focused on our community’s well-being inside and outside of the store.
We are proud to support our community now more than ever – by providing a safe place to work and shop and a dependable outlet for local food producers. You can be an essential part of the co-op community by investing in your store today!
When you invest in Open Harvest (sign-up or renewal) during our May Owner Drive (May 24 – 31), you’ll receive 20% off one shopping trip during our Owner Appreciation Week (June 1 – June 7)! All current owners will receive 10% off during this time.
We’ve made it really easy to sign-up online just go to our website and fill out our online form: openharvest.coop/ownership
To be an owner of Open Harvest with everyone is both an honor and a privilege. I hope you feel the same and lean in with me to support our store as we all continue to learn what it means to be a resilient, cooperative, flexible, place to access safe food in our community.
In cooperation and good health,
Wally Graeber
Board Secretary