Park Slope Food Coop

Infobox Co-operative
company_name = Park Slope Food Coop
company_logo =
company_type = Consumers' cooperative
foundation = 1973
location = New York City
area_served =
members = >12,000
industry =
products = Organic food, Local food
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.foodcoop.com www.foodcoop.com]
key_people = Board of Directors:
John Urda (President), Imani Q'ryn (Vice President), Elizabeth Tobier (Secretary), Audrey Miller Kamaroff, Bill Penner, Joe Holtz (ex-officio). ----General Coordinators:
Charlotte Corini, Mike Eakin, Joe Holtz, Trisha Leith (Treasurer), Jess Robinson, Allen Zimmerman----

The Park Slope Food Coop (PSFC) is a food cooperative located in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. It is one of the oldest and largest active food co-ops in the United States. As a food cooperative, one of its goals is to be a "buying agent to its members, not a selling agent to any industry." [PSFC Mission Statement.] Non-members are welcome to visit the store, but may not shop.

Formed in 1973, PSFC has grown to over 12,000 members. The PSFC business model requires each of its adult members to contribute 2 hours and 45 minutes of work every four weeks, and that no member share a household with a non-member. In exchange, active members may shop at the store. The store sells a variety of foods and household goods, mostly environmentally-friendly products, at a 21% markup. The savings are possible because PSFC operates as a not-for-profit corporation and because labor is contributed by its members.

Governance

Board of Directors

PSFC is technically a corporation formed under the laws of the State of New York. It is run by a Board of Directors consisting of five persons elected to staggered three-year terms by and from the membership, and the longest-serving General Coordinator. [PSFC Bylaws, as amended March 27, 2001, Article III, Sections 1 and 2.]

General Meeting

The Board of Directors gather monthly to hear the advice of the members at the General Meeting (GM), [PSFC Bylaws, as amended March 27, 2001, Article VI, Section 2.] and generally approve all resolutions passed by the GM. The GM agenda is governed by an Agenda Committee, and the meeting itself is run by a Chair Committee, whose members rotate in service as chairperson and collectively serve as GM parliamentarian.

General Coordinators

The day-to-day operations of the PSFC are run by paid employees called coordinators. The senior-ranking coordinators, called General Coordinators, are hired by the General Meeting and approved by the Board of Directors. [PSFC Bylaws, as amended March 27, 2001, Article V, Section 1.] The longest-serving General Coordinator serves as a voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors. [PSFC Bylaws, as amended March 27, 2001, Article III, Section 1.]

Political and Environmental Action

In 2004, the PSFC General Meeting resolved to discontinue selling Coca-Cola products. [ [http://www.killercoke.org/psfcres.htm Resolution to Remove Coca-Cola Products] ] In 2008, PSFC resolved to discontinue selling bottled water and stopped providing shopping bags at checkout. [PSFC "Linewaiters' Gazette", specific issue references needed.]

Membership Policies

Basic Workslot Requirements

All adult members not on childbirth or disability leave must complete a two hour and forty-five minute shift at the coop every four weeks.

Household membership requirement

When more than one person in a household shares food or other products bought at the coop, all such household members must be members of the PSFC. This policy ensures that everyone who benefits from PSFC membership shares in the responsibilities of PSFC membership. Members with spouses or roomates unwilling to meet the membership obligations of the PSFC are welcome to work additional shifts at the coop in order to meet the household obligation.

Childbirth leave

Member households are given 12 shifts of leave (roughly one year) for every new child, whether by birth or adoption. Because childcare is not limited to mothers, the adult members of the household may divide these shifts among themselves at their own discretion. A valid form from a healthcare provider is required.

Retirement

Members over the age of 75 may go on permanent disability leave, no questions asked.

The "double-makeup" policy

In order to discourage no-shows, members who miss shifts without swapping shifts with another member or obtaining prior permission from the squad leader are required to make up two shifts, not one, to remain in good standing.

General Meeting workslot credit

Members may receive workslot credit for attending up to two GMs per year, as long as they register in the PSFC office prior to each meeting.

History

The PSFC was founded in 1973.

Diversity

Official Publication

[http://foodcoop.com/go.php?id=91 "Linewaiters' Gazette"]

External links

* [http://www.foodcoop.com Park Slope Food Coop Homepage]

References