GM Reflections

By Kenna Eaton, General Manager of The Food Co-op

I’m writing to respond to comments in last week’s edition of The Leader (newspaper) from Owen Rowe, the former board president of The Food Co-op.

Owen was a mainstay on our board of directors and he and I have worked closely together for many years. However, I strongly disagree with his misguided characterization of the Co-op’s, and in particular the board’s, actions during the past several months.

Our board is made up of committed volunteers who give their energy, enthusiasm and time to our guide the Co-op. They’re not in it for the money—because they don’t get paid for all their hard work. Board members represent the interest of all our member-owners, not just a particular subset. The board’s only authority is as a whole, not as individuals. That means no individual board member can act, make promises or speak for the board unless given the responsibility to do so by the board. The Co-op is a cornerstone of our local community. We have more than 7,500 active member-owners, a team of around 100 employees and proudly contribute every day to our local economy. While the board has been struggling with the criticism of some of our members (most of which has been based in rumor), things are going great at the store: we had record sales last year, gave a bonus to our team members and have $79,000 in our Farmers Fund, with 43 applicants for grants to help local famers.

Creating a culture of diversity, inclusion, and justice is on-going work.  And of course we can always do better. Here are some of the steps we’re taking this year, with regard to making the Co-op a better place to work and shop:

· In February, we’ll begin working with Kevin Henry, a DEI consultant with more than 30 years of experience, who focuses on teaching effective engagement with diverse communities, creating empathy in the workplace, preventing burnout and communication strategies for difficult conversations.

· We’re also looking forward to working with local equity expert Beau Ohlgren, who will help us develop new training programs to make our store more welcoming and engaging for everyone.

· A staff-led committee will be attending a six-session “Inclusion Inspiration Lab” crafted for co-op grocery operations, looking for practical applications of inclusion in the Co-op.

· There is a new staff group for LGBTQIA+ team members. Affinity groups are a place where staff with shared interests can promote belonging.

· Lastly, we are also considering how we can make our product selection more reflective of the changing diversity of our members and their food choices. We’ll be looking for new items that fit our high product standards and are also more culturally rich.

Community, integrity and respect are woven throughout the Co-op’s vision and values. We participate whole-heartedly in our community, our local food system and the governance of our co-op.  Sometimes there is conflict.  That is the reality of being humans together, living in community.  We hold steady to our core values, we learn, and grow.  Thank you to all who are part of this mission we’ve had for the past 53 years: working together to nourish our community. 

Kenna Eaton

General Manager

The Food Co-op, Port Townsend.