Chicago Market's 3rd Annual Meeting was held on Thursday, July 20. Click here to read all about it, and here to check out a slideshow of pictures from the event!

We also held elections for open Board seats - results will be shared via email with our Ownership, very soon. We extend a hearty thank you and congratulations to every Owner who stepped forward and offered themselves as a candidate for leadership: Christopher Bakker, Edward Collins-Fanner, Sara Dinges, Yanira Doyle, Lee Herman, Katie Lopes, Dana McKinney, Ankit Mehta, Xuan "Sunny" Nguyen, and Mayra Peña, as well as incumbent candidates Greg Berlowitz and Anthony Todd. The success of our startup co-operative is built on the talent and energy that all Chicago Market volunteers share with our community; those who are willing to serve at the Board level are especially generous with their time and experience, and the work they do on all our behalf is tremendous. 

On this note, we also extend our sincere thanks to Larry Gast, Heather Lalley, Karen Jacobs, and Mike Sullivan - each of whom is departing the Board but will remain active as volunteers and committee members. 

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The outcome of Chicago Market's bid for space in Uptown's Wilson Station (aka the Gerber Building) is still firmly in the hands of the CTA. We're as eager as you are for news; the RFP document made no commitment to decision timing on the CTA's part, but we are hopeful we'll have more to share very soon. There has been some real progress on the building's renovation - check our #ChiMktatCTAWilson site for some new articles from Uptown Update, with pictures! We've also updated the site with a fun video of our community members, and some other new links, including a recent podcast "Awesomonster - AWSM Comedy Radio" in which Owner #55 Sofia Jouravel talks about the co-op.

Meanwhile: we still need your help! If you haven't signed the community petition yet, check it out and please give it your support. Already signed? Take the next step and share it with others, on your Facebook feed or via email. And then, consider whether you and/or someone you know can join the co-op as a member Owner. We've now grown to over 950 Owners, but we will need more in order to launch our store. Learn more about Ownership here, join online here, share this link via your social media or email with your friends who should be part of our better food community.

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August 3 - 5:00-9:00 pm. Table @ Argyle Night Market. Come say hello, and bring a friend to introduce them to a friendly Chicago Market volunteer. The Argyle Night Market is on Argyle, between Kenmore and Sheridan, each Thursday night through the end of August.

August 11 - 8:00-10:00 pm. Table @ Sunnyside Mall Movie Night. We're off to see the Wizard, tabling at Sunnyside Mall's 3rd annual Outdoor Movie Night. Bring your family and friends to enjoy the classic movie Wizard of Oz, and stop by Chicago Market's table there. Sunnyside Avenue, between Beacon and Magnolia.

August 17 - 6:00-9:00 pm. Table @ Buena Park Concert in the Park. Visit Chicago Market's table at this fun summer event with the Buena Park Neighbors. 

August 30 - 7:00-10:00 pm. Chicago Market Board Meeting at Lakeview Pantry is open to all Owners. Click here for more information and to RSVP. 

September 6 - 7:00-8:00 pm. Chicago Market Ownership Info Session.
Come join us at our next information session, Wednesday night September 6 at 7:00pm at Emerald City coffeehouse in Uptown. Board members and volunteers will be there to talk about how co-ops build better food communities, and the benefits of becoming a member Owner now. Find out why over 950 individuals, households and local small businesses are proud to say "I'm an Owner" of Chicago Market. 

Bring a friend or neighbor for a cup of coffee and we'll answer all your questions.  Click here to RSVP or email us if you can't make it but would like to learn more!

HOLD THE DATES

October 7 - 2:30-5:30 pm. Harvest Co-op Pop-Up Market at Swedish American Museum in Andersonville. 
October 11 - 7:00-8:00 pm. Chicago Market Information Session, location TBD.
November 18 - 2:30-5:30 pm. Thanksgiving Co-op Pop-Up Market at All Saints Episcopal Church in Ravenswood.

 

Author Jon Steinman is a journalist and producer of a multimedia (podcast, television series and annual food documentary film festival) initiative, Deconstructing Dinner. He's also been a leader of Kootenay Co-op in Nelson, British Columbia. Now he's bringing the idea of "Community Supported Authorship" to a new project. His book, Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants, will explore the role food co-ops like ours can play in today's food system - why change is needed, why co-ops are the right model to make it happen, and how they already empowering local communities.

Funding for development and writing of the book will be through a Kickstarter campaign, running through August 16. Click here now, to visit the campaign page to learn more about Jon, his work, and his plan to make Grocery Story an important resource for food co-ops. A short video there makes a great case for food co-ops! You can help to crowd-fund the project, and pre-order an E-book or paperback or get other rewards, with your pledge. If the campaign reaches its funding goal the book will be published by New Society Publishers (estimated date: February 2019). Go, Jon!  ________________________________________________________________________________________________