April Newsletter

In this month's newsletter:

• A Word from the General Manager
• A Word from the Board
• Art Gallery
• Owner Deals
• Financial Meeting of Owners 
• Annual Bulk Sale
• Equal Exchange Anniversary 
• Calendula Salve In-Person Class 
• South India In-Person Cooking Class 
• Round Up For Good
• Recipe Features
• New Products

A Word from the General Manager

Hello Cooperators!

In January I informed the Board that I had decided to step down as General Manager but would happily remain in the position until a new GM could be hired and trained. My hope is to stay employed by Common Ground in a different position for a while after the transition. 

My main priority is ensuring leadership continuity for the Co-op. The process for searching, hiring, and training can take a while. The average time for a grocery cooperative to find and hire a new GM is now around 18 months. Training can take up to a year depending on the new Manager's experience level. If hiring and training a replacement takes that long, it brings me close to my desired retirement age anyway, so now is the time to start the process. 

Several reasons, beyond the hiring and training time, influenced my decision. The main reason is that my family dynamics have completely changed over the past eight years. My children have moved from the area for work and school and I now have three grandchildren who all live out of state. This position makes it very difficult to take time off to visit and be part of their lives for more than a few weekends each year. 

I want to thank all of the Boards and staff that I have worked with over the last eight years and I especially want to thank you, our owners, for all of your support. 

In cooperation,

Gary

A Word from the Board

Dear Owners and Friends,

The Board thanks Gary for his years of service to Common Ground Food Co-op. Gary  has guided us through many seasons in his time as General Manager. His leadership brought us through COVID and helped the co-op become debt free with paying off owner loans. We’re sure many of you feel our sense of loss accompanying Gary’s future departure as General Manager but we will cherish the memories of these past years.

Gary has graciously agreed to serve as General Manager until his replacement can be found. The GM Search Committee has formed consisting of four board members. This committee will be posting the job description and open application for General Manager within the next month. Please stay tuned to the website and forward on the information to any qualified candidates within your networks.

Looking forward to the future, we remain committed to our Ends and providing the co-op with the leadership necessary to thrive. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to the board at board@commonground.coop. Owners are also welcome to attend our board meetings in the Flatlander Classroom on the third Mondays of every month from 5:30-7:30pm. Your voice and participation matters in shaping the next season of the co-op. Owners are encouraged to attend the FinMoO in April for the latest information on the financial health of the co-op. We look forward to seeing you there!

In cooperation,
The Board

Art Gallery Reception

Friday, April 10th, 4-6pm

Stop by the Flatlander Art Gallery to see the newest installation featuring the work of Victoria Baez! This installation celebrates the joy parents share with their children, capturing it through art and sharing it with the community. Inspired by interviews, Toria created personalized, nursery-style pieces that reflect each parent’s experience. The works will be on view in the Flatlander Classroom during the Boneyard Arts Festival and into early May in honor of Mother’s Day.

Owner News

News for our Co-op Owners

April Owner Deals

Dozens 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.

Financial Meeting of Owners

Every spring, we host our Financial Meeting of Owners (FinMOO) where Common Ground staff and Board of Directors cover the following topics with our Owners:

• Important Store Updates
• Presentation of 2025 Financials
• Current & Future Challenges
• Store Impacts & Upcoming Events
• Raffle Giveaways

Must be an Owner to attend.

Annual Bulk Sale

April 22nd - 28th 

Save the date for our annual Bulk Sale! Get 15% off our entire bulk section in Aisle 2, plus an additional 5% off when you bring your own container! Save money, reduce packaging waste, and stock up on essential staples like spices, flours, beans, rice, coffee, teas, nuts, snacks, and so much more. Plus, any special orders on bulk items are also 15% off!

Equal Exchange

Exclusive Coffee: Only Available to Co-op Shoppers!

National Co+op Grocers has partnered with Equal Exchange, a fair trade organization dedicated to improving worker livelihoods, ensuring safe working conditions, and advancing environmental sustainability across global supply chains. Among their standout offerings is coffee—now featuring Organic BioRevolution, a newly refined specialty blend available exclusively through Co-ops like Common Ground. 

Classes & Events

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

Calendula Salve Class 

Wednesday, April 22nd, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm 

In this hands-on class, lead by local artist & instructor, Joan Jach, you’ll learn how to harness the gentle yet potent magic of calendula by crafting your own nourishing salve from scratch. We’ll start by exploring the art of herbal oil infusion—how to draw out the plant’s healing properties into a rich, skin-loving oil. Then, you’ll discover how to transform that infused oil into a smooth, protective salve using natural beeswax. 

$40/person - Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their ticket. Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Waiting list will be made available once tickets are sold out.

South India In-Person Cooking Class 

Saturday, April 25th, 2:30 - 4:30 pm

Learn how to make traditional South Indian dishes from local chef & longtime Co-op instructor, Sirisha Bhandaru. This class will highlight one of the most popular dishes from South India as well as seasonal vegetables, and a cooling cucumber side dish. You don't want to miss this one! The menu includes: 

• Sambar: a comforting Indian stew infused with tamarind and a special spice mix.
• Cabbage Poriyal: an Indian stirfry with green or red cabbage and coconut. 
• Cucumber Coconut Raita: a cooling side dish made with plain yogurt, vegetables, and spices - the perfect accompainment to Sambar. 

$40/person - Owners can use promo code: OWNER for $5 off their ticket. Limited seating available - only 12 seats per class. Waiting list will be made available once tickets are sold out.

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!

March's Round Up For Good Grant

Over $5,200 raised for Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services (RACES)

Mission: We provide compassionate comprehensive support to those affected by sexual trauma. We care for our communities through prevention education programs that promote consent.

Project Proposal: In service to our vision of a world free of sexual violence, Rape Advocacy, Counseling & Education (RACES) provides free, age-appropriate, and evidence-informed prevention education programming to students of all ages. During the 2023-2024 school year, RACES staff provided programming to over 5,000 students in Champaign County, thanks in part to the support from a Round Up for Good Grant. RACES has been fortunate to receive these grants for multiple years and this has allowed us to increase our staff capacity to be able to reach more students in our community. If selected, funds will continue to be used to cover staff compensation and related expenses, which will allow RACES to maintain its current, high level of service provision at no cost to local schools or organizations. 

April's Round Up For Good Grant

Proceeds benefit Prairie Rivers Network

Misson: At Prairie Rivers Network, our mission is to protect water, heal land, and inspire change. Using the creative power of science, law, and collective action, we protect and restore our rivers, return healthy soils and diverse wildlife to our lands, and transform how we care for the earth and for each other.

Project Proposal: Clean Water Forever Campaign - Clean Water Forever starts with protecting the drinking water of Central Illinois. 

The Mahomet Aquifer is vital to Central Illinois, providing drinking water to nearly a million people across 14 counties. It’s a resource that we all depend on every day, but it’s now facing serious threats from proposed, large-scale carbon- capture and sequestration (CCS) projects through the Mahomet Aquifer. While these projects are painted as a way to reduce our carbon emissions, the reality is they pose a serious risk to our aquifer and those that rely on it daily. Given that the Mahomet Aquifer is our only viable source of drinking water, the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

To protect our water, Prairie Rivers Network is working to educate the public of the importance of Illinois’ only Sole Source Aquifer, and to mobilize our community to demand protection of this vital resource for the long term. With support from the Round Up For Good Grant, PRN will be able to produce educational materials such as posters, billboards, and digital ads that inform people across Central Illinois about the dangers of CCS projects proposed to inject carbon dioxide through and store carbon dioxide under the aquifer and its recharge zones. We’ll also share personal stories from residents who rely on the aquifer, bringing a human face to the issue and inspiring others to get involved. 

By educating and engaging the public, we can build strong opposition to these projects and push for a ban on CO2 injection and storage in our community.
Our goal is simple: to make sure that individuals who depend on the Mahomet Aquifer for clean and affordable drinking water understand the importance of this resource and how to take action to protect it. 

This is just the beginning of the Clean Water Forever Campaign. In addition to protecting the Mahomet Aquifer from threats from carbon capture and sequestration, we plan to expand the program to other efforts, including ensuring that the public has access to rivers and streams in Illinois, that Illinois waters are free from pollutants that are harmful to human health and the environment, and that we know what’s in our water.

Waters in Illinois are in rough shape. According to the Illinois EPA, 89% of Illinois’ rivers and streams are impaired by pollution such that they cannot fully support “primary contact,” i.e. swimming. Forty-two percent of rivers are too polluted to fully support aquatic life, and 100% of rivers assessed are too polluted to fully support fish consumption. These figures should shock and alarm us and demand our attention.

By educating people about the importance of the Mahomet Aquifer and elevating voices in support of clean water, we hope to build a movement that will allow us to take action on other water quality issues. We plan to expand monitoring efforts and push for policy solutions that will protect water across Illinois forever.

With support from the Round Up For Good Grant, we can activate the community and together, help protect our shared water supply.

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.