September Newsletter

In this month's newsletter: 

• Word from the General Manager 
• Word from the Board
• Closed Labor Day
• Annual Meeting of Owners
• Owner Appreciation Days
• Owner Elections
• September Owner Deals
• Journal Making In-Person Art Class
• Tamales In-Person Cooking Class
• Art Installation 
• Round Up For Good
• Recipe Feature 
• New Products 

Word from General Manager 

September is here and Fall is coming to your Co-op!

We have a lot going on so please check your calendars to avoid missing anything.

First, we welcome all new and returning students. If you like to support the community where you are living please consider visiting Common Ground Food Co-op. We do all we can to support local farmers, producers and artists! Also, I want to remind everyone that Sundays are Student Discount Days. We offer a 10% discount every Sunday to students so please bring your ID and save money!

Owner Appreciation Days will run from September 9th through 15th. Come check out the awesome deals we have for our Owners!

We have a new artist installation on display in the Flatlander Classroom. Wendy Miles' paintings are now on display. Please check our calendar for information regarding her reception.

Please check emails for information regarding our upcoming election period. Our Meeting of Owners and the voting deadline for new Board Members and Round Up For Good is September 24th. 

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Take Care!

Gary 

Word from Board

September 2026 is here already and the Co-op election season is here!

Electing our Board of Directors and Round Up For Good organizations for 2026 is one
of the most exciting times in the Co-op calendar. You will get to exercise your option to
vote for who represents you on our Board of Directors and which organizations
Common Ground will support with our Round Up For Good community funded grant!

The election will conclude at our Annual Meeting of Owners. All of our eligible-to-vote owners are invited to attend the MOO, where the current Board of Directors and General Manager will give a short presentation about how the Co-op is doing, sharing our past successes and our challenges in the year ahead.

To be eligible to attend, and vote in our election, you must have your equity paid in full and have shopped at the Co-op at least once in the past year. If you are eligible you will receive a link via email to vote and an invitation to this years MOO. We are excited to see everyone in person, and start the next Board Year!
 
Help us make our community stronger by supporting Common Ground with your vote,
your presence, and your excitement for the Co-op and our community partners!

Closed for Labor Day

Common Ground will be closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, September 8th.

Owner News

News for our Co-op Owners

Annual Meeting of Owners

Thursday, September 24th from 7-8pm

Join us for our annual Meeting of Owners in Common Ground's Mall Hallway! Hear from our General Manager, Marketing Team, and Board of Directors. Enjoy light refreshments & socialize with you Co-op community! Entry is free but RSVP is required.

Owner Appreciation Days

Wednesday, September 9th - Tuesday, September 15th 

Owner Appreciation Days are coming up in September! Owner Appreciation Days are our special sales celebration where all of our Co-op owners get great store-wide deals. Owners will receive a 10% discount off their entire purchase of one shopping trip of their choice (excluding Co+op Basics, alcohol, and items already on sale).

All owners who shop during Owner Days and use their 10% discount will receive a special coupon book with exclusive deals from September to November, including an additional 10% storewide discount. There will also be exclusive owner deals, free Golden Ticket items, and the chance to win one of four amazing raffle giveaways!

Owner Elections

Friday, September 18th - Thursday, September 24th, 9pm

It's almost time to vote in the 2025 Owner Elections!

Every fall, Co-op owners can vote for 10 organizations to be featured as Round Up For Good recipients. Owners also vote for new Board of Directors.

The voting period is from Friday, September 18th to Thursday, September 24th,  concluding with the annual Meeting of Owners. All eligible owners who have shopped at least once in the last year and are up to date on their equity payments will receive an email with an eballot on Friday, September 18th. If you do not receive this email but believe you are eligible to vote, please contact marketing@commonground.coop

September 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!

Journal Making In-Person Class 

Thursday, September 10th from 5:30 - 7:30pm

Join local artist and Idea Store board member, Annie McManus for an evening of art and crafts! 

Students will turn a simple three-ring binder into a one of a kind art journal using collage, color, layering, and your own imagination. With plenty of materials and inspiration provided, you’ll leave with a personalized journal and new ideas to fill its pages.

$40/ticket - 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.

Tamales In-Person Cooking Class

Wednesday, September 30th from 5:30 - 7:30pm

Experience the rich traditions of Mexican tamale-making with Co-op instructor Ernesto Rodriguez!

In this hands-on cooking class, students will learn authentic techniques for making delicious tamales from start to finish. Tamales will be paired with homemade sauces from El Molcajete Sauces, along with mezcal margaritas or non-alcoholic aguas frescas made with seasonal fruits and herbs.

This class is perfect for anyone interested in exploring Mexican cuisine, learning traditional cooking techniques, and enjoying a delicious, hands-on culinary experience.

SOLD OUT

Art Installation

September through October 

Wendy Miles is a street-art inspired artist. With 20 years as a scenic artist and muralist in Nashville, TN, she brings a vibrant, community-focused style to her work. Her art blends inspiration from urban street art with visual storytelling. This series features rabbits and their fierce zest for life, even when facing constant threats. Stop by the Flatlander Classroom now through October to check out Wendy's work! Art Reception date will be released soon.

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!

August Round Up For Good Grant

 More than $5,268 raised for Solidarity Gardens

Mission: Solidarity Gardens is a community-wide initiative to support our neighbors in growing and sharing free, fresh, healthy food with those in need. We cultivate better food access in the Urbana-Champaign community by connecting volunteers to our sixteen affiliate community gardens as well as our four public produce-donation sites, which receive thousands of pounds of produce each year. We also provide our low-income and immigrant residents with more than fifty free garden plots, tools, and resources to grow their own food. We are #NeighborsFeedingNeighbors #CultivatingCommunity

Project Proposal: Solidarity Gardens supports sixteen community gardens throughout Urbana-Champaign where food is grown for donation, following organic practices. Our network donated over 4,000 pounds of fresh produce last year to neighbors in need. To achieve this, we coordinate the collective expertise and resources of the Urbana Parks District, the Cunningham Township Supervisor's office, and Sola Gratia Farm.

Funding from this grant would go directly toward providing our Affiliate Gardens with many necessary upkeep materials including compost to amend soils, plant starts, replacement irrigation supplies, fencing and trellising, signage, and packaging and processing materials. To fully support our many affiliate gardens in the ever-growing solidarity network, each year’s upkeep costs are estimated around $8,500. This grant would ensure that our community gardens, which have become fixtures in Urbana-Champaign--such as the gardens at the Cunningham Township Supervisor’s Office, Meadowbrook Park, CUPHD, Douglas Park, the Red Herring, and Victory Park--will have beds in good repair, healthy soil, fencing, and most importantly, food-producing plants that will feed our community with much desired local, organic, fresh produce.

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.