October Newsletter

In this month's newsletter: 

• Election Results 
• October Owner Deals
• Indian-Inspired Party Platters In-Person Cooking Class
• Fire Cider In-Person Class 
• Farm to Table Dinner Party 
• Art Installation & Reception
• Turkey Preorder
• Empty Bowls Fundraiser 
• Round Up For Good + Pupper Wuffers
• Recipe Feature 
• New Products 

Owner News

News for our Co-op Owners

Owner Election Results

The results are in!

We have the winners for our 10 Round Up For Good Organizations for 2027!

Thank you to all of our Owners who voted in this election, as well as the many wonderful organizations that submitted project proposals for the Round Up For Good Grant.

2027 Round Up For Good Grant Recipients

• Daily Bread Soup Kitchen*
• Eastern Illinois Foodbank
• Immigrant Services of Champaign Urbana*
• Crisis Nursery 
• Sola Gratia Farm to School*
• Planned Parenthood of Illinois* 
• Prairie Rivers Network*
• Books to Prisoners 
• Champaign County Humane Society 
• Rape Advocacy, Counseling and Educational Services 

All organizations are subject to approval. Every organization with an astric (*) has yet to accept the funding. 

October Owner Deals

Dozen of sales every month for Owners!

Owner Deals are bigger and better than ever, with dozens of products on sale all month! With updates happening behind the scenes, be sure to keep your eye out for our changing cycles. Each one brings a fresh set of deals, so there’s always something new to discover.

Classes & Events

Every month, we host both In-Person and Virtual Classes in our Flatlander Classroom!

Indian-Inspired Party Platters Cooking Class

Saturday, October 17th from 12-3pm

Learn how to make seasonal party platters for the upcoming holidays with local chef & long time Co-op Instructor, Sirisha Bhandaru! The menu includes:

Roasted Pumpkin Chaat:
thin wedges of roasted pumpkin served on a bed of beaten yogurt topped with chutneys and sev. 

Ragda Patties:
spiced dried yellow peas served warm over potato patties and topped with cilantro
chutney, tamarind date chutney, and yogurt.
 
Papad Platter:
a variety of lentil crisps served with condiments and dips.

$40/person - Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their ticket. All sales are final after 48 hours. Refund requests made after this period will not be accepted. Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Waiting List will be made available once tickets are sold out.

Fire Cider In-Person Class

Thursday, October 22nd from 5:30 - 7:30pm

Learn how to make Fire Cider with local herbalist, Joan Jach! 

Students will learn how to make a time-honored herbal tonic that has been traditionally used to boost your immune system and keep you healthy during colder months.   

$40/person - Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their ticket. All sales are final after 48 hours. Refund requests made after this period will not be accepted. Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Waiting List will be made available once tickets are sold out.

Farm to Table Dinner Party 

Friday, October 30th from 5:30-7:30pm

Join us for our first Farm to Table Dinner Party! This is a community meal hosted by Ernesto Rodriguez of El Molcajete Sauces. Guests can expect a 4 course meal inspired by Oaxacan cuisine, perfectly paired with
handcrafted Mezcal Margaritas. The menu includes: 

Appetizers:

Chips & Salsa, Ceviche & Memelitas 

Main Courses:

Salad with Spring Mix, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, & Basil 

Squash Soup with Truffle Oil

Mole Blanco with Steak 

Tres Leches Cake with Cardamom

$80/person - Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their ticket. All sales are final after 48 hours. Refund requests made after this period will not be accepted. Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Waiting List will be made available once tickets are sold out.

Art Reception

Friday, October 16th from 4-6pm

Join us for the Art Reception of Sydney Bruner!

Sydney has been painting since she was 15 years old and draws her inspiration from human behavior, shared experiences, and introspection. You can find her work in our Flatlander Classroom from early October throughout November.

Turkey Preorder

Choose Local this Holiday Season

Get a jump start on your holidays by pre-ordering your local, pasture-raised turkey from Triple S Farms. Select your preferred turkey size, receive special holiday coupons, and be entered into a raffle to win a free turkey!

Local turkeys are available in a range of sizes but are in limited quantities this year, so place your order early!

Triple S Farm local frozen turkeys - Stewardson, IL

• Small frozen turkeys (12.1-14 lbs): $9.29/lb
• Medium frozen turkeys (14.1-18 lbs): $8.29/lb
• Large frozen turkeys (18+lbs): $7.29/lb

A $25 deposit is required for pre-orders. Preorders are not honored until an online payment has been made. The deposit will be deducted at the registers at the time of pick up. Pick up dates are Friday, November 20th from 4-6pm and Sunday, November 22nd from 12-3pm in our mall hallway.

Empty Bowls Fundraiser 

Saturday, October 10th from 9am - 1pm

This year we are partnering with the CU Potters Club to host the annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser! The event will take place in our Mall Hallway.

Guests can expect beautifully handcrafted bowls made by local potters from the CU Potters Club, wheel throwing demonstrations, a paint-your-own pottery table organized by Laura Billimack of the Pottery Place in Champaign, boutique bowls that are larger in size, as well as full sets! Common Ground Staff will also be passing out $2 off coupons for our house-made soups, valid until the end of October. 

Community News

Round Up For Good Update

Take a look at the incredible impact we made together to raise funds to support some of local community projects right here in Champaign-Urbana!

September's Round Up For Good Grant

More than $5,313 raised for Immigrant Services of CU

Mission: The mission of ISCU is to create a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community for immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, in Champaign County to ensure that immigrants can thrive and participate as independent members of our community.

Project Proposal: As with last year, ISCU's Round Up for Good project will fund emergency food assistance for immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Last year ISCU was able to provide over $8,000 in emergency food to vulnerable immigrants, due in large part to the almost $5,000 that we received from the Round Up for Good program. This year our immigrant neighbors are more vulnerable than ever, so we hope that the Coop members support for emergency food assistance will continue. Our food assistance is culturally sensitive, providing food that our clients feel comfortable with, and this year the emergency food program has expanded to include a food pantry.

October's Round Up For Good Grant

Proceeds benefit Champaign County Humane Society

Mission: To instill respect, kindness, and compassion for animals as community values.

Project Proposal: The funds raised through the Round Up For Good grant will be used to support our program to provide affordable spay and neuter services to residents of Champaign County. With increasing homeless animal populations, affordable spay and neuter programs help keep animal populations at a healthy level.

Pupper Wuffers

Join us in welcoming a new local vendor to the Co-op!

Because October's Round Up For Good grant funding will support the Champaign County Humane Society, we thought it was appropriate to introduce a new vendor that focuses on human-grade dog treats.

Pupper Wuffers is a small-batch, human-grade dog treat business based in Champaign. Their dog treats are made from natural foods like sweet potatoes, honey, peanut butter, and blueberries. Pupper Wuffers make decisions around food for your furry friends easy and simple. 

Recipe Features

We've been cooking up some healthy and affordable recipes for your enjoyment!

New Products

Take a look at some of our new items and fan favorites!

Thanks for Reading!

Enjoy the coupon below on your next shopping trip.