Dorchester Community Food CoDorchester Community Food CoDorchester Community Food CoDorchester Community Food Co----opopopopBuilding Community Support and Partnerships Building Community Support and Partnerships Building Community Support and Partnerships Building Community Support and Partnerships
for a Multifor a Multifor a Multifor a Multi----Stakeholder Food CoStakeholder Food CoStakeholder Food CoStakeholder Food Co----opopopop
Dorchester is Boston’s largest and most diverse
neighborhood. The more than 100,000
residents represent a wide range
of socio-economic, racial and
ethnic groups.
Mission Mission Mission Mission The Dorchester Community Food Co-op (DCFC) will be a community and worker owned cooperative enterprise that provides economic opportunity and access to healthy, affordable food for residents of Dorchester and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Key DecisionKey DecisionKey DecisionKey Decision
The Co-op project has three main objectives:
� Economic Development� Access to Healthy Food
� Active Community Space
Why a MultiWhy a MultiWhy a MultiWhy a Multi----Stakeholder CoStakeholder CoStakeholder CoStakeholder Co----op? op? op? op? � Begin to create a co-op economy in Dorchester, that involves community residents as well as workers in the enterprises
� Expand the cooperative economy through purchasing products and services from existing co-ops and supporting the launch of new co-ops
� Create a community asset that provides long-term job opportunities with growth potential for neighborhood residents.
� Having workers as owners ensures that workers have a seat on the Board and a say in the running of the business.
Structure of OwnershipStructure of OwnershipStructure of OwnershipStructure of Ownership• Two classes of member-owners:
– Community-owners• Member share = $100 per household• Community member owners elect representatives
to the Board of Directors (x # of seats)• Certain percent of profit distributed in Patronage
dividend based on $$ spent during year
– Worker-owners• Member share = $250 per worker• Worker member owners elect representatives to
the Board of Directors (x # of seats)• Certain percent of profit distributed in Patronage
dividend based on # of hours worked during year
Example of Example of Example of Example of Consumer/Worker Owned Food CoConsumer/Worker Owned Food CoConsumer/Worker Owned Food CoConsumer/Worker Owned Food Co----opopopop
• Weaver St. Market (North Carolina)www.weaverstreetmarket.coop
Community Organizing StrategyCommunity Organizing StrategyCommunity Organizing StrategyCommunity Organizing Strategy
• Identify and meet with key individuals in the community– Schedule one-on-ones to present co-op idea– Invite participation in co-op activities– Recruit leadership for the co-op and plug people into
volunteer activities
• Identify and meet with key groups in the community/city– Neighborhood associations and block groups– Social service agencies– Activist issue organizations– City agencies
• Create activities and events to generate interest in the co-op, connect the co-op identity to positive community building, and begin to build an interest list– Have co-op materials at every event– Sign up lists at every event– Begin to provide value to the community, particularly
through “placemaking” events– Hold events in different parts of the neighborhood– Meetings are not always the best way to draw in
people– Bring in community partners for each event– Do publicity around each event
Examples of reaching out to Examples of reaching out to Examples of reaching out to Examples of reaching out to individuals and potential partnersindividuals and potential partnersindividuals and potential partnersindividuals and potential partners
March March March March 2011201120112011
Series of initial meetings with community activists, neighborhood groups and municipal agencies to explore Dorchester Food Co-op concept. These meetings continue throughout the development of the co-op
April/May2011April/May2011April/May2011April/May2011� First community information meeting
held to discuss plans to start a Dorchester Co-op.
� Begin to gather names for Co-op Interest List.
� First meeting of steering committee
JuneJuneJuneJune----August 2011August 2011August 2011August 2011� Attend Community Fairs� Table at Farmers’ Markets
across Dorchester
� DCFC represented at City of Boston Urban Agriculture Kickoff�Coop invited to participate in Mayor’s Food Policy Council
January 2012January 2012January 2012January 2012
� Receive Matching Grants from TreflerFoundation and Boston Impact Initiative for feasibility studies and to support organizational capacity building.
�Hire 3-person part-time team to handle project management, outreach and organizing, and pilot lines of business development
October October October October ––––November November November November 2012201220122012
� Hire Winter Farmers’ MarketManager and begin fundraising and recruiting vendors
Lynn Murray, Jhana Senxian, Jenny Silverman
Jennie Msall
Neighborhood Groups:Neighborhood Groups:Neighborhood Groups:Neighborhood Groups:Ashmont Hill Association
Ashmont Adams AssociationCedar Grove Association
Codman Square Neighborhood Council and Health CommitteeFields Corner Five Streets Association
Hancock St. Civic AssociationMeetinghouse Hill Civic Association
Peabody Slope AssociationNeighborhood Improvement Committee (Codman Square)
ROC (Redefining Our Community) TNT (Talbot Norfolk Triangle)
UNA (United Neighborhoods Association)
In addition to meeting with dozens of individuals, the DCFC organizers have met with the following organizations and groups
Health Centers Health Centers Health Centers Health Centers Wellness OrganizationsWellness OrganizationsWellness OrganizationsWellness Organizations
Boston Collaborative for Food and FitnessBoston Public Health Commission
Bowdoin St. Health Center—Food in the Hood CommitteeCarney Hospital
Codman Square Health CenterFamily Nurturing Center
Harbor Health/Geiger Health CenterHealthworks Codman Square
Mattapan Collaborative on Food and FitnessPatch Program
WIC Nutritionists Committee
Community OrganizationsCommunity OrganizationsCommunity OrganizationsCommunity OrganizationsEducational InstitutionsEducational InstitutionsEducational InstitutionsEducational Institutions
AFAB-KAFANM Association of Haitian WomenBoston Architectural College
Center for Community Health, Education & ResearchDorchester Arts Collaborative
Dot Grows Garden Council/Boston Natural Areas NetworkFour Corners Action Coalition
GreenDorchester(formerly Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition)
Sustainability Guild InternationalThe Food Project
Community Economic Community Economic Community Economic Community Economic Development OrganizationsDevelopment OrganizationsDevelopment OrganizationsDevelopment Organizations
Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets Codman Square NDCDorchester Bay EDC
Fields Corner Main StreetsFour Corners Main Streets
St. Marks Area Main StreetsUphams Corner Main Streets
Viet AID
City AgenciesCity AgenciesCity AgenciesCity AgenciesBoston DND
Food Initiatives of the Mayor’s OfficeMayor’s Food Policy Council
Boston Public Health Commission
FoundationsFoundationsFoundationsFoundationsThe Boston Foundation
Community Law FoundationKendall FoundationTrefler Foundation
Boston Impact Initiative
Examples of Activities and EventsExamples of Activities and EventsExamples of Activities and EventsExamples of Activities and Events
JuneJuneJuneJune2011201120112011
• Food Co-op volunteers march in Dorchester Day Parade and create first
visibility for Co-op
Summer 2011Summer 2011Summer 2011Summer 2011� First Co-op Community Potluck in
Nightingale Community Garden
SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptember2011201120112011
� First $5 Meal Challenge—more than 70 people attend
JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary----March 2012March 2012March 2012March 2012� Winter Farmers’ Market Grand
Opening attracts 650 shoppers on first day, appearances by Mayor Meninoand other dignitaries
Fall 2012Fall 2012Fall 2012Fall 2012� Begin to organize for Winter Farmers’
Market� Kickstarter Campaign raises money
for the market AND creates community buzz and outreach for the market
Winter Farmers Market!Winter Farmers Market!Winter Farmers Market!Winter Farmers Market!
April April April April 2012201220122012
� Pot Luck and Membership kickoff April 1
� Co-op receives Mayor Menino’s2012 Green Sustainable Food Leadership Award
� Co-op awarded Boston Public Health Commission Strategic Alliance for Health Food Access Grant to run Community Supported Café in Summer of 2012
MayMayMayMay2012201220122012
June June June June 2012201220122012
� Goal of 100 member-owners by Dorchester Day achieved.
� DCFC marches for second year in Dorchester Day Parade
AugustAugustAugustAugust2012201220122012
� “Fresh Fridays” is a smash success, drawing more than 750 to the First Parish Church on Friday evenings for healthy food, music, and dynamic space for celebrating the diversity of Dorchester.
Fresh Fridays: Fresh Fridays: Fresh Fridays: Fresh Fridays: A Global Fusion of Taste & Sound
� “Fresh Fridays Grand Finale in the Coleman St. Community Garden is attended by the Mayor and is attended by over 250 local residents!
SeptemberSeptemberSeptemberSeptember2012201220122012
December 2012December 2012December 2012December 2012� Holiday Party and first Annual Meeting at Cesaria’s Restaurant in Bowdoin Geneva. Attended by 80 people—more than half people of color.
JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary----March March March March 2013201320132013
� Second Season of Winter Farmers’ Market: Despite being plagued with snowy Sundays—attendance equal to first season with much higher diversity ratios
March 2013March 2013March 2013March 2013� Seafood Festival at Winter Market co-sponsored by Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness and Northwest Atlantic marine Alliance draws big crowds.
Winter Farmers Market Season 2!Winter Farmers Market Season 2!Winter Farmers Market Season 2!Winter Farmers Market Season 2!
Next stepsNext stepsNext stepsNext stepsVision� Develop plan for departments, product mix and store design
� Continue to develop affordability models
� Develop model for worker-owner component of co-op
Community and Membership� Build levels of engagement
� Continue developing neighborhood teams and hold a series of house parties, film nights and “meet-ups at local restaurants
� Achieve 2013 Membership Drive Goal of 500 household member-owners by December 31, 2013. Current count is 243.
� Continue to build development partners
� Continue to develop institutional partners
� Create “task” committees
Funding� Continue Grant writing process to fully fund development and feasibility stage and begin funding for implementation
� Continue selling equity shares. Current equity is $20,658
� Begin identifying sources for the $1.1 million in grants we need to open the store
Systems� Create fully operational website
� Create solid database and communication system
� Do we need public presence (office space?)