October Newsletter

In this month's newsletter:

• A Word from the Board of Directors
• Korean Virtual Cooking Class & Meal Kit
• CU Folk & Roots Festival - Music on the Porch
• Turkey Preorders
• Art Gallery Reception
• Board Book Club
• Earthskills Workshop at The Kalyx Center for Sustainability
• 2025 Owner Election Results
• Fall Owner Drive
• October Owner Deals
• Round Up For Good
• Recipe Features
• New Products

A Word from the Board of Directors

Meeting of Owners Recap

by Calvin Wang

Three cheers for another great Meeting of Owners this year! On September 10th this past month, we had our Meeting of Owners in Lincoln Square Mall. It was great to see our community of owners out to support the Co-op. This year, I especially enjoyed the vendors and artists set up around the perimeter of the event. Speaking to the vendors and artists reminded me of the many ways Common Ground supports local businesses. Speaking of which, this year we had food from local pizza establishment Patricio's. It was fantastic to get one of our neighbors in the mall involved in the MOO. I also enjoyed hearing from the board and store staff during the presentation of this year's recap and summary. The raffles live at the event were especially exciting!

I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the people who made the MOO possible. To all the store staff, thanks for your continued work on this event and in the store. To the marketing team, thanks for being the engine that makes events like these run. To the board, thanks for volunteering at the MOO and for your continued efforts month in and month out. To Gary, thanks for your tireless leadership for our Co-op. Finally, to all the owners, thanks for your continued support and for making Common Ground Food Co-op a great place in our community!

Seasonal Spotlight

Local Apples

Stop by the produce department to shop a wide variety of locally grown apples!

Cooking Classes

Every month, we host both In-Person and Virtual Cooking Classes featuring local recipes and cultural cuisines!

Korean Virtual Cooking Class & Meal Kit

Saturday, October 18th, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn how to make an authentic Korean mal with Co-op instructor and well-known local artist, EKAH! Explore delicious Korean flavor combinations and be guided through the cooking process of each recipe while using our pre-portioned meal kit. By the end of the live Zoom class, you will be ready to enjoy the full dinner that you made from scratch.

The menu includes:

• Galbi Ssam - A communal Korean dish composed of grilled beef short-ribs wrapped in lettuce, veggies and ssamjang.
• LA Galbi Gui - Grilled beef short ribs marinated in soy sauce, Korean pear, garlic, onion, and sesame oil
• Banchan (side dishes) and accompaniments:
  • Kongnamul Muchim - Soybeam sprout banchan
  • Hoban Bokkeum - Sauteed zucchini banchan
  • Kimchi
  • Rice
  • Lettuce, sweet peppers, scallions

A vegetarian option is available and would substitute the short ribs for mushrooms and offer vegan kimchi.

Registration is $50 and includes a cooking kit. Co-op Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their registration. The meal kit includes preportioned ingredients and recipe cards.

Upcoming Events

CU Folk & Roots Festival on the Porch, Turkey Preorders, Art Gallery Reception, Board Book Club, and more!

CU Folk & Roots Festival

Music on the Porch

Saturday, October 4th 10:00am - 12:00pm

Join us on the porch during Saturday market and enjoy the Old Time Jam with The Firesides as a part of the annual CU Folk and Roots Festival live music performances!

Turkey Preorders

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 turkey sizes

Small frozen turkeys (10 - 13.9 lbs): $8.95/lb

Medium frozen turkeys (14 - 17.9 lbs): $7.95/lb

Large frozen turkeys (18+ lbs): $6.95/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 on either Friday, November 21st from 4-6pm or Sunday, November 23rd from 12-2pm.

Art Gallery Reception

Featuring Jessamyn Smith

Wednesday, October 15th 4:00pm - 6:00 pm

Join us for an Art Gallery Reception for Jessamyn Smith, our current featured artist in our Flatlander Art Gallery! Get a chance to meet the artist, view the art installation, and browse all artwork available for sale. We will also be sampling some wines, charcuterie, and other refreshments.

Artist Statement: "Landscapes are one of my favorite subjects because the beauty of nature never fails throughout the centuries. French impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir said, "Art is about emotion; if art needs to be explained it is no longer art.

I stepped away from art for about 15 years. But one morning in early 2024, I woke up and drank an extra cup of coffee and began practicing art again regularly. I want to encourage people that it is never too late to pursue a dream, whether it's an old one or a new one.

My favorite medium is soft pastel, and I also sometimes incorporate watercolor, ink, and various others. Subject matter includes still life, portraits, nature, and animals. The opportunity at Common Ground would inspire me to create a focus on food, people, health, and nature."

Board Book Club

Cheese and Culture

Tuesday, October 21st 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Join our Board of Directors for their monthly book club! Stop by the Flatlander Classroom every 3rd Tuesday of the month for a discussion.

October's book is Cheese and Culture: A History of Cheese and its Place in Western Civilization by Paul S. Kindstedt.

Earthskills Workshop

Kalyx Center for Sustainability

Saturday, October 11th 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

The Kalyx Center for Sustainability in Monticello is hosting an Earthskills workshop! Join them for a hands-on workshop and learn with expert guidance in a fun and friendly atmosphere out in nature. Registration required.

Owner News

2025 Owner Election Results, Fall Owner Drive, & October Owner Deals

2025 Owner Election Results

The results are in!

We have the winners for our 10 Round Up For Good Organizations for 2026 and three new Board of Directors members.

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.

Congratulations to the 2025 Owner Election Winners!

2026 Round Up For Good Grant Recipients

Daily Bread Soup Kitchen
Planned Parenthood of Illinois
Immigrant Services of Champaign Urbana
Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services (RACES)
Eastern Illinois Foodbank
Crisis Nursery
Prairie Rivers Network
The Refugee Center
Champaign County Humane Society
Solidarity Gardens CU

Board of Directors

Morgan Montgomery

Maggie Etienne

Mollie Hari

Owner Drive

Perks for referring a new owner

Our annual Owner Drive continues through October! Help us reach our goal of 150 new owners by spreading the word to family and friends. We have already signed up 90 new owners since September 1st! New owners who sign up in the next two months get extra perks and coupons, a gift pack, tote bag, and owner deals.

Plus, existing owners can refer a new owner to get $10 in Radish Rewards added to your owner account plus a free orzo recipe pack!

October Owner Deals

Dozens of sales every month for Owners

Owner Deals are bigger and better than ever! We have a brand new set of owner-exclusive deals for October. Dozens of amazing products will be on sale for owners for the entire month 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 Round Up For Good Grant

$5,347 raised for Immigrant Services of Champaign Urbana

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this amazing total!

Mission: "Our mission is to create a welcoming community for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Champaign County. We are dedicated to helping these individuals overcome adversities by providing them with the resources necessary for successful integration. Our goal is to empower them to transition from dependency to complete self-sufficiency, enabling them to become valuable and contributing members of our community."

Project Proposal: "Round Up For Good will fund emergency food assistance for immigrants in our community, many of whom are asylum seekers unable to work due to legal restrictions. Consequently, these families often face food insecurity, while being ineligible for SNAP, the federal food stamp program. Even those who manage to find work are often paid unfair wages, further exacerbating their situation. While food pantries exist, many clients face transportation challenges due to lack of access to cars or licenses, and even with bus passes, pantries are often difficult to reach. Additionally, food pantries often do not provide culturally appropriate options.

To address those challenges, ISCU is implementing a program designed to provide food for those in greatest need for up to six weeks at a time. Over those six weeks, clients will receive multiple rounds of aid based on factors such as family size, number of children, and medical, housing, and employment circumstances. Clients will be able to choose foods reflecting their culture, and if they are unable to make it to the grocery store, the food will be delivered to them. This program is a temporary measure aimed at stabilizing families until they are in a better position.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ISCU was able to offer a similar program, which helped many immigrant families. However, those funds are no longer available. Currently there are very limited funds for food-specific programs that immigrant organizations can draw upon.

Receiving support from the Common Ground Round Up for Good will significantly enhance ISCU's ability to provide adequate nourishment to families facing food insecurity."

October Round Up For Good Grant

Proceeds Benefit Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice

October's Round Up For Good organization is Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice.

Mission: "JCRJ's mission is to educate our community about the Reproductive Justice (RJ) framework: 1) the right to have children, 2) the right to not have children, 3) the right to nurture the children we have in a safe and healthy environment. UCRJ lifts up work being done locally on these issues, on campus and in the community, and creates opportunities for community members to act to ensure reproductive justice for all."

Project Proposal: "UCRJ will use Round Up For Good Grant monies to support the UCRJ Birth Equity fund.

A primary principle of the Reproductive Justice framework emphasizes the right to raise children in environments free from harm, making Birth Justice a necessary and urgent corollary to the reproductive justice vision. In Illinois, Black birthing people are three times more likely to die from pregnancy or birth-related complications than their white counterparts. Birth justice activists therefore advocate for the creation of more support systems for pregnant and birthing families, including birth doulas and community midwives.

The UCRJ Birth Equity Fund will provide direct financial grants towards doula and homebirth midwife services for expecting pregnant people of color in Champaign County. By supporting wrap-around guidance and support throughout the pregnancy and birthing process, the fund will improve care for pregnant and birthing people and help reduce BIPOC perinatal mortality in our community.

UCRJ is a volunteer-led, grassroots organization that has accomplished a great deal since it was founded in early 2023. During its second UCRJ Week (April 2024), it engaged 45 organizations and reached over 650 participants. UCRJ is guided by research and practitioners from many partner organizations, including BIPOC for Better Birth, Planned Parenthood, Uniting Pride, Elevated Access, Cunningham Township, CU Public Health Dept., and the U of I School of Social Work. It engages in actions that directly help people, such as the distribution of "Plan B" contraceptives and creating abortion after-care packages for local abortion clinics. We would be honored to utilize funds from the Round Up For Good program to further reproductive justice in our community."

Recipe Features

We've been cooking up some tasty recipes for your enjoyment!

New Products

Take a look at all the new items across departments!

Thanks for Reading!

Enjoy the coupon below on your next shopping trip.