Since I moved to Chicago from New York in 1995, I have started a theatre company, wrote fiction, worked in some terrific Chicago restaurants, learned how to garden, helped begin a food-buying club, become a lawyer and then a father, interned for fabulous organizations in Madison and Minneapolis, clerked for a federal judge, become a father for a second time, worked in two big Chicago law firms, helped begin an organic community garden, wrote short plays for a small theatre, and stayed active in law committees and my children's schools, sports and activities. I also like to read and eat.

For most of those years, I wished someone would start a food co-op near my home in Chicago. It eventually dawned on me—perhaps on an umpteenth reading of the Lorax to my children—that unless someone stepped up to start one, it wouldn't happen.

So we did.

Now, eighteen months later, Chicago Market has grown from a seed of an idea in Chicago Cooperative to a thriving group of committed community members dedicated to making change in our local food system by building a big, beautiful co-op focused on local, sustainable and organic foods.

I am an Owner of Chicago Market because I believe in the power of democratic organizations to solve community problems such as access, quality and transparency. I believe that we need more information, not less. Chicago Market will help us connect with the sources of our food, with the people who grow our food, and with the huge community of people around us: people who care about health and nutrition, who support local farmers through markets and CSAs, and who buy organic dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables for their families and children.

I believe cooperative development is the right path to local food success because it is dedicated to the Triple Bottom Line: people, planet, and profit. This means that Chicago Market will place premiums equally on Owner satisfaction, farmer support, and employee fairness, environmental stewardship, and quality and professionalism.

This is the kind of organization I am proud to support. I am proud to stand behind Chicago Market with my time, money, and confidence.