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Your Electric City Food Cooperative is now doing business as the Electric City Community Grocery. 

Greetings, one and all!

 
With the bees buzzin', the birds singin', and the trees buds bloomin', there's so much to celebrate as spring unfolds in Schenectady!  

Themes of reciprocity and mutual care are all a-buzz this month in the Electric City, especially as we celebrate Earth Day, National Volunteer Week, Arbor Day, and Schenectady's Together Fest!  

 
If you view this email in your browser (link at top of this email), you can use this table of contents to jump straight to what makes your heart beat:


Celebrating Community & Reciprocity!

From Earth Day to Arbor Day, April has provided an abundance of opportunities to exercise our powers of mutual care and reciprocity as a growing community of Member-Owners!
 

Growing Our People Power

We are now a community of more than 1,040 Member-Owners!  Welcome to our newest members, and thank you to all of you who continue sharing invitations with friends, family, and neighbors to join our people-powered movement to open a community-owned grocery store in downtown Schenectady! 
 

National Volunteer Month

As Member-Owners of the Electric City Community Grocery, we are all responsible for working together to make our grocery store a reality. When we open the store there will be many paid positions, but for now we rely on lots of super volunteers! This effort is led by a fantastic, all-volunteer Board of Directors that meets weekly, with many board members meeting even more than that to do committee work like site selection, web development, member and community outreach and sponsorship development. 

In addition to the Board of Directors, we have more than 20 Member-Owners who help on a regular basis with tabling at the Greenmarket, helping with committee work, planning and supporting events like the Holiday Parade and the Beloved Community Pie Social, as well as writing newsletters, sharing information and keeping our social media and web site up-to-date.

So this National Volunteer Month we thank all our active co-op volunteers! (Apologies to everyone whose pictures we missed! We appreciate you all!)

If you’d like to contribute to bringing our community-owned grocery to Downtown Schenectady, check out our Get Involved page!

 

Celebrating Earth Day & Together Fest with Community Partners

Thank you again to Stella Rowley and Union College’s Office of Sustainability for including us in your #earthday festivities and for all the work you do educating our community about ways to protect our planet!  Thank you to Member-Owners Marion "Jet" Jackson and Paula Ransbury for hosting our Electric City Community Grocery table and spreading the word about the many ways our food cooperative will support a more sustainable and regenerative food system!

Thank you to Jamaica Miles, All of Us, and the Sycamore Collaborative for inviting us to participate in Together Fest on 4/27! 

What a fantastic celebration of what’s possible when we come together in community. The spirit of generosity and abundance was strong - from bubbles, books, art, community information (including voter registration and information) and great food! Thanks to Member-Owners Mary Scicchitano, Joanne LaFlamme, and Tony Leva for hosting our table!

 

Springing Forward with the Schenectady County Food Council


This April, the Schenectady County Food Council has been springing forward in full force!

From the well-attended General Meeting on April 3 to the Food Systems Event on April 10 and Working Group meetings spread throughout the month, momentum has been growing for a community-informed food system that is equitable, healthy, and accessible for all Schenectady County residents.  

May 1 - May Day - is a great day to celebrate solidarity, and you can do so this week with the Schenectady Food Council's Food & Poverty Speak Out at the Rotterdam Community Center.  All are welcome to come together for dinner at 5pm, followed by a community program beginning at 6pm.  Connect with your neighbors and learn about the plight, fight, and insights of community leaders coming together to end poverty. You can RSVP and/or share a testimonial through this form


To get involved in the Schenectady County Food Council, you can visit their website, follow them on Facebook, and join a working committee. 
 

Invitations and Opportunities for CooperACTION!

 

Events Season!

We’re heading into our busy events season and will need help with tabling at the Greenmarket, Schenectady Pride (6/1), Kids Art Fest (6/1), and Hamilton Hill Arts Center’s Juneteenth Celebration (6/22). We’ll also need volunteers for our annual meeting in June. 

If you are new to volunteering, we’ll make sure you have the help you need to learn the ropes. And it’s a great way to meet other Member-Owners!

If you’d like to get more involved, let us know more about yourself so we can connect you with the right people and projects - please share your interest in this form, and we’ll be in touch shortly!  

 

Calling all creative costumers!

Schenectady’s annual Kids Arts Fest is always a great opportunity to unleash our creativity and have a ball in the heart of our city.  But this year - for the 30th Anniversary of Kids Arts Fest - we’re extra-excited to celebrate and participate. Not only will we have a table where kids of all ages can create pennants for our opening day banner, we’re also dreaming and scheming about coming together to compete in the Costume Contest for the Best Ensemble.

If you’d like to join our costume team - as a costume-maker or wearer - please share your interest in this form by clicking “Kids Arts Fest” in the options


Cabaret on hold for now - But stay tuned!

We look forward to shining a spotlight on our community’s creative talents, and raising money to bring the best talent among cooperative grocers to town!  To make sure we have the time and resources to put on a show that meets our vision, we’re putting this on hold for now. Stay tuned!
 

Help US help YOU stay up-to-date!

While most of our communications with Member-Owners are done by email, we do occasionally need to mail via the good ole USPS.

And with stamps costing a pretty penny lately, it’s important to have everyone’s current information. If you’ve moved or changed your name since signing up, please let us know by filling out this form. This will make sure we aren’t wasting money by mailing to old addresses and help us be careful stewards of the co-op’s finances.

 

Co-op Updates

Our cooperative spirit and forward momentum in 2024 has been fueled by extraordinary volunteers serving on our Board of Directors and active committees.  This month we shine a light on updates from our Site Committee, Finance Committee, Nomination Committee, and Communications Committee. 
 

Site Committee Updates

Thanks to the four month extension granted by the City for our $1,000,000 in support, we will continue our momentum and secure a site for our future community grocery in a short time. Our Site team is meeting several times a week to this end. We have established a weekly check-in with our team at MetroPlex.

We are in search of additional support with commercial real estate expertise, lease negotiation and associated legal review. If you have this experience and can help for an hour a two per week for the next 1-3 months, please sign up here 
 

Finance Committee Updates

We are well along the way for fund raising for the NCG agreement - we’re about a quarter of the way toward our goal for the Dream Team Fund. 

This fund will be used to cover start-up costs for the first phase of our contract with National Cooperative Grocers (ncg.coop), a business cooperative (e.g., a co-op of co-ops!) that supports the success of food cooperatives nationwide. We will be enlisting their expertise as we work with our developers on budgets for build-out of our store.

Please consider contributing to this vital next stage of our development!

You are welcome to write a check to "Electric City Food Cooperative, Inc" with "Dream Team" in the memo-line and mail to:

Electric City Food Co-op
PO Box 1416
Schenectady, NY 12301

Contributions are also welcome at https://donorbox.org/the-dream-team.

Financial contributions are not tax-exempt. They are a financial investment in a cooperative enterprise, not a charitable donation.
 

Nomination Committee Updates

Our volunteer Board of Directors is strong and growing, and it’s also time to expand our team and deepen our bench. Not only are there a few Board members who have indicated needing to move on due to various life events at the end of their term (totally normal, and we respect each person’s needs), our needs are changing as we move closer to store construction stage. 

We have a specific need for Board Members and Committee Members who have experience in: 
  • LAW 
  • ACCOUNTING & BOOKKEEPING
  • CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS
  • COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
  • REAL ESTATE & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT


If you have any of these skills and have 2-4 hours per week to support this important effort, please reach out here. We would like to have some new Board Members in place prior to May 17th.


 

Communications Committee Updates

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our fresh, new website please give it a visit at electriccityfood.coop!

Our “Why does Schenectady need a community-owned grocery store?” page shares a ton of great information about the benefits of bringing a co-op to Downtown Schenectady.

As Member-Owners, we can all be co-op ambassadors! Stay up-to-date and help spread the word by following and sharing our social media posts: 

Facebook - www.facebook.com/ElectricCityFood 
Instagram - www.instagram.com/electricitycoop/ 
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/electric-city-coop/ 


 

 
 

Member-Owner Spotlight
Aldo R. Júarez-Romero

 
This month, we shine the spotlight on Member-Owner #1009, Aldo Júarez-Romero.  Although Aldo is relatively new to Schenectady and the Electric City Community Grocery, his cooperative spirit is already making a big difference.

In the spring of 2023, Aldo moved from New Jersey to Schenectady to join the Sycamore Collaborative (SiCM) as their Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. His first major project was planning, organizing, and deploying the Summer Meal program, which distributed over
13,000 meals across 19 sites within Schenectady. As lead operations staff, he is committed to driving organizational success by identifying and eliminating
redundancies, maximizing resources, nurturing staff professional growth, and
supporting the sustainability of Sycamore Collaborative’s food access work and
interfaith organizing. Aldo is a forward-thinking and dynamic leader who brings over 20 years of experience in manufacturing, customer experience, and operations to his work in our community.  


The Beet to Aldo: What do you like about being part of the co-op community?

Aldo: I moved to Schenectady a year ago to serve as Deputy Director / COO for Sycamore Collaborative, an organization dedicated to providing healthy food and a sense of community for those without access to these basic needs. Joining the Electric City Co-op has been an exciting and welcoming experience. Despite being here for only a few months, I've already found a deep sense of belonging and community that I am learning to appreciate.

One thing I particularly enjoy is the educational aspect of being in a co-op and interacting with a like minded people that provides valuable information on topics like sustainable living and farming. In a way, being part of The Electric City Co-op has been a fantastic way for me to connect with my new community.


The Beet to Aldo: What will having a downtown grocery mean to you?

Aldo:  Having a downtown grocery store would significantly impact the community. It would offer convenient access to fresh, healthy food and eliminate the need for long travels for groceries. Additionally, such a store could act as a community hub, providing educational opportunities and fostering connections among residents. Access to quality food is already a challenge for those with transportation, making it even more difficult for those without. Overall, a downtown grocery store would greatly enhance quality of life and strengthen the community.

The Beet to Aldo: What do you love about Schenectady?

Aldo:  What I love about Schenectady is its sense of community and the warmth of its residents. Despite being a city, it often feels like a close-knit town where people genuinely care about each other. I admire the resilience of its people, who have faced challenges but have come together to support one another. I appreciate the efforts made by local organizations and businesses to support and uplift the community. The city also has a rich history and beautiful architecture, which adds to its charm. Overall, Schenectady has a unique character that makes it a wonderful place to live. I am happy to now be able to call this place home.

 

Tried and True Recipes

Water Kefir (Rita Hutchens) & Dandelion Shortbread Cookies (Elizabeth & Miriam Walsh) 

This month, we feature two Member-Owner recipes, each a refreshing way to enjoy the beauty and abundance of the spring.  

Rita Hutchens (MO#962) not only shares a recipe for making a delicious, nutritious and beverage, Water Kefir, she also is happy to share some of her Water Kefir Grains with members of our community to keep the gift of this delightful drink in motion!  

Elizabeth Walsh (MO#613) and her niece, Miriam, share their favorite recipe for Dandelion Shortbread Cookies. 

 

Water Kefir: An energizing & delighting drink! 

Rita Hutchens is delighted to share the joy of Water Kefir with others in our co-op community!  

Never heard of Water Kefir? This little known crowd pleaser is a 
delicious, effervescent,  fruit-infused sparkling water that's full of healthy probiotics. This refreshing beverage helps support a healthy diverse microbiome, clear the skin, and energize the whole body.  Rita recommends this site to learn more about Water Kefir and to find a recipe to make it at home - she reports it's much easier than brewing kombucha, and it tastes even better!

If you'd like to receive the gift of some starter grains from Rita, please reach out to her by email at Girlrosarita@gmail.com.

 

Dandelion Shortbread Cookies

This month, MO Elizabeth Walsh and her 8 year old niece, Miriam, share a tried and true recipe, “Dandelion Shortbread Cookies.”  

Although this time of year many Americans launch a full on assault on the much-maligned dandelion, including applying toxic herbicides to their lawns that wreak havoc on ecological health, Elizabeth and Miriam delight in the beauty and deliciousness of the dandelion and its long history as a treasured source of food and medicine.

Native to Asia and Europe, the dandelion has been recorded in ancient writings, and Arabian physicians used the plant in medicine in the tenth and eleventh centuries. In the mid-1600s, European settlers brought the common dandelion (scientific name, Taraxacum officinale) to eastern America and cultivated it in their gardens for food and medicine. Although it certainly isn’t a native plant, it is much-loved by many local pollinators who support our local food systems.

Last spring, Elizabeth and Miram shared a delicious, labor-intensive recipe for Dandelion Syrup. This year, they’re back with a delectable-yet-manageable recipe that harnesses the magic of dandelions for an elevated shortbread experience.  The dandelion petals’ golden hues enhance the beauty of the cookies, while their nectar adds a gentle floral flavor and their long fibers hold crumbly shortbread together. This recipe comes from the kitchen of Ashley Adamant

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 to 1 cup dandelion petals (yellow parts only)
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Mix butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. [Note: It’s still easy and effective to just use a fork and some arm power]
  • Add dandelion petals and beat to incorporate. [Note: Again, simply using a fork to evenly combine works well]
  • Gradually add flour and salt, beating to incorporate fully. Dough will be crumbly at first, but it will start to come together.
  • Once all the flour is added, beat on low another minute or so. Then knead gently with your hands until the dough comes together.
  • Roll cookies out and cut out with your favorite cookie cutters. [Note: If you don’t have cookie cutters, it also works find to roll into little balls and flatten them into disks roughly the size of the circle formed by thumb-to-finger, ¼ - ½ inch thick]
  • Bake cookies at 325 for about 20 to 25 minutes, until they begin to brown on the bottoms and are fully cooked on the top.
  • Remove to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Enjoy!

Food For Thought 
Reciprocity in Action: Building Local Food Economies Rooted in Mutual Care


What a beautiful time of year it is to be at home in the Mohawk River Valley! Flowering trees and birds singing on high, and tulips, daffodils, dandelions and violets springing up everywhere underfoot.  Although signs of accelerating climate change are cause for alarm, April has been an actively hopeful month for our co-op community. 

For this month's "Food for Thought" we're shining a light on some of the many ways our community's efforts to cultivate an equitable, sustainable, and regenerative food system not only contribute to food justice, but also contribute to climate justice.  As we celebrate reciprocity in the Electric City this April, we highlight many of the ways our community members are engaging in actions of mutual care for the Earth and one another. 

 

Reducing Food Waste

Project Drawdown finds that reducing food waste and increasing plant-rich diets are the two greatest areas for collective impact to address climate change. On April 19, they announced the official launch of “Drawdown Food,” an initiative focused on strategies for engaging agriculture in addressing climate change.

Thankfully, we have some fantastic resources in Schenectady County to help us meet the challenge of transforming food waste into resources, including: 
  • Composting Resources with the Sustainable Living Center of Schenectady County's Cornell Cooperative Extension, including a food scrap drop off program and compost-at-home guidance.  
  • Food Scraps 360, a commercial food composting business that provides at-home pickup - "Collect your food scraps; Put your bin on the curb and smile; Feed the Earth."

 

Supporting Community-Rooted Agriculture

A great way to care for people and the land is to invest in the vitality of our local farms and farmers, especially those that employ organic and regenerative agricultural practices that heal the soil while generating food, like Lovin' Mama FarmHop House Farm, Soul Fire Farm, and Iotsi’tsison (Skywoman’s) Forever Farm.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) are also a great way to support our regional farmers while enjoying the abundance they create in partnership with the Earth. This website - localharvest.org/schenectady-ny/csa - offers a great set of CSA options, including these local favorites: 
 

Expanding Urban Agriculture

Community leaders in our region increasingly recognize urban farming as part of the solution to address the complex challenges of hunger, urban blight, and climate change in ways that cultivate community resilience and environmental justice. 
 

Urban Agriculture is Well-Rooted in Schenectady

Urban agriculture has been taking root in Schenectady for many years - in school yards, backyards, parks, and open spaces.  Thankfully, the value of this work is being increasingly recognized - not only for increasing the supply of food in our community, but also for cultivating community resilience as more people understand and experience the art and science of growing food and the joy of community agriculture. Today we have many resources to support urban agriculture, including:   

The Urban Farming Land Initiative

The Schenectady County Food Council is leading an initiative that would establish urban farming spaces in our County: the Urban Farming Land Initiative. Food Council members are collaborating closely with Schenectady County Legislator Richard Russo (and the Capital Region Land Bank on which he serves) to repurpose non-buildable properties for urban agriculture, aligning with existing zoning regulations to ensure seamless implementation.

This initiative originated through regular meetings of the Food Council Steering Committee and gained momentum from there, with members enthusiastically exchanging ideas for its strategic implementation. The Agriculture & Food Systems Working Group has taken the lead,  yet the entire Food Council and Steering Committee is committed to bringing this initiative to life. They are currently in the process of preparing a presentation to deliver to the City Council and Department of Development regarding this initiative, with the hope of securing their support.

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a Steering Committee Member (and co-op Member-Owner!), has introduced legislation to implement this initiative statewide. The decision is currently pending at the capitol, and there are no updates regarding its passage at this time.

For more inspiration in the ways that practicing reciprocity can generate abundance in our local economies (and to continue your celebration of Arbor Day!), check out this powerful essay by Robin Wall Kimmerer, "The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance."



 
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Copyright © 2020 Electric City Food Cooperative, Inc., All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
PO Box 1416
Schenectady, NY 12303

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