October 2021 Honest Slate

Honest

SLATE

Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Community Newsletter for Membership • Staff • Governance • Management Published monthly by the Communications Committee to promote transparency, report without bias, and sustain community.

OctoBer 2O21 Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667

honestslate@honestweight.coop • https://www.honestweight.coop/

Public Power for the People!

The fossil fuel industry is driving us into climate catastrophe.

Even after a summer of deadly natural disasters, power outages, and warnings from climate experts that the crisis is worse than we thought, big energy corporations and shareholders continue to invest billions of dollars into an industry that needs to evolve or die.

We can’t afford to keep building more nat-

Reminder: HWFC’s

Governance Review Council Is Seeking 2 Candidates!

If you love the Co-op and want to help sustain it, you may want to get more directly involved. Honest Weight is consistently seeking candidates to participate in its governance, a foundational characteristic of an effective Co-op. This may be an opportunity for you to make a difference and support the Co-op in a new and different way!

At the Oct. 24, 2021, virtual Membership Meeting, voters will elect two Governance Review Council (GRC) members. The GRC promotes robust democratic, cooperative processes in order to facilitate fair and open decision making at all levels within the Co-op. If elected, any investment hours you spend formally supporting the GRC as a Member-Owner will also count toward your store discount!

Desirable qualities of a GRC candidate include impartiality/neutrality, good judgment and listening skills, familiarity with governance issues, effective oral and written communication skills, and a commithonestslate@honestweight.coop

by Erin Donahue

ural gas infrastructure—such as the seven-mile Albany Loop pipeline project—at the expense of our planet. When National Grid put the Albany Loop on hold last year, the utility implied it was an issue of supply and demand and stressed that “plans for the line are still being explored for future years.” In North Brooklyn, despite years of community protest, the NY Public Service Commission approved a National Grid rate hike that clears the way for a fracked gas pipeline to be built running under predominantly BIPOC communities. To ment to active participation. The GRC provides advice, support, and analysis regarding HWFC’s policies, governance procedures, and other Bylaws-related matters. GRC responsibilities are listed in the HWFC Bylaws, Section 470.2. Member-Owners must be in good standing and should be familiar with HWFC values, goals, and issues to run for office. Interested candidates may wish to review the HWFC Bylaws for further information. It is also recommended that candidates attend a GRC meeting before submitting a nomination form. The GRC meets monthly on the second Monday at 6pm.

In addition, interested Member-Owners should review the information provided on the nomination form, available online at the HWFC Elections page, or at the customer service desk. Your candidacy will be promoted on the Board of Directors store bulletin board as well as the Elections page of the HWFC website! In addition, you will be invited to participate in two Meet the Candidates forums prior to the election. Nominations may also be made from the floor during the Membership Meeting. Contact the Elections and Nominations Committee with any questions: ElectionsComm@honestweight.coop.

big for-profit companies including National Grid this is just business. When making big decisions that impact all of us, time and time again National Grid and other energy companies choose profit over people and planet.

We can’t depend on the private sector to build the climate resilience we need—and we don’t have to. New York residents have the wealth and resources to power our own communities with clean renewable energy.

When then New York governor Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Power Authority Act of 1931 (creating the state-owned New York Power Authority, NYPA), he said he wanted to give the power back to the people. Today, almost 100 years later, NYPA still powers public buildings and is 83% renewable. It is the largest state-owned utility in the country and has a track record of providing the most affordable energy in New York. continued on page 2

CONTENTS )

Be the Change! ......................... 2 LoV Potluck Returns ................. 2 Growing Carrots & Potatoes ..... 3 Mindful of Race Captivates........ 4 All About Apples........................ 5 Q&A........................................... 7 Membership Meeting Info........ 8 New York to Ban Polystyrene.... 9 October Board Decisions......... 10 Book Group & Sociocracy........ 10 Committee Corner................... 11 Co-Opportunities..................... 12 https://www.honestweight.coop/

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G A N PO T L U C K !

All are invited to our LoV (Love of Vegan) Potluck Come share an afternoon of good food & good community!

Sat., Oct. 23 • 12–2pm in the

Do you seek active participation?

Are you familiar with governance issues?

Do you have good judgment and listening skills?

HWFC Needs You... Serve Your Co-op: Run for the Governance Review Council!

Community Room & Teaching Kitchen.

• Nominations are now open.

Capital Region Vegan Network (CRVN) will host this quarterly event, where you can sample a variety of vegan items from the store. “It’s a true, old-fashioned potluck,” said Education & Engagement Specialist Deanna Beyer. “Attendees are asked to bring a vegan dish to share with the community and Honest Weight will provide dishes from our catering menu.”

•2 seats are available.

Sign up at this Eventbrite link or contact DeannaB@honestweight.coop

Public Power continued from page 1

The for-profit industry controlling our energy systems is not fit to meet the needs of our communities, especially in times of crisis. As a nonprofit state entity, NYPA can serve New Yorkers with a level of community investment that corporate monopolies have no interest in matching. Expanding NYPA and minimizing the power of the private sector would eliminate the perverse incentive of profits and continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Instead, we can pass popular legislation like the New York Build Public Renewables Act and accelerate our progress and innovation toward a society powered by 100% clean, renewable energy. Public power would put us—the people—in control of all aspects of our energy environment.

It’s time to take back our power.

A people-owned energy system would put the needs of our communities first. It would invest in a resilient grid that keeps the lights on for all New Yorkers. It would end fossil fuel pollution and the poisoning of working-class BIPOC communities. It would fund a surge of tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs. Public power is the New Deal– level response we need in order to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change.

October 2021

•Elections will be at the Oct. 24 Membership Meeting.

•Nomination forms

are available at the front desk and online at www.honest weight.coop/elections.

H W F C

Questions? Contact: ElectionsComm@honestweight.coop or GRC@honestweight.coop Despite the urgency of the climate crisis and the commitments New York has made to combat it, lawmakers failed to even hold a vote on the Build Public Renewables Act this past legislative session. When they return to Albany in January, we want them to give the power back to the people. Look for our article in Honest Slate next month on how we the people can make sure that happens.

The Build Public Renewables Act would get NY started on: •Reaching our commitment to our climate goals •Decarbonizing our grid •Decommodifying our energy •Creating over 50,000 union jobs •Providing relief from energy burden to millions of poor and working New Yorkers •Giving the power back to the people To find out more, go to publicpowerny.org.

To get involved, contact publicpower@ capitaldistrictdsa.org.

Honest Weight MO Erin Donahue is a member of the Capital District DSA’s Public Power Working Group, which is part of the Public Power New York Coalition (PPNY), a statewide movement of community and advocacy organizations fighting for an environmentally sustainable energy system that’s also racially, socially, and economically just. PPNY believes that clean energy and a habitable planet are human rights. Opinions expressed are solely the author’s.

Empowers Organizations to Support Local Community We are excited to announce the inaugural beneficiary of the Co-op’s newest roundingup-at-the-register program: Be the Change!

This program is designed to empower local organizations making a difference in the community. The Miracle on Craig Street is October’s Be the Change recipient. Visit their website at miracleoncraigstreet.org to learn more, and be sure to contribute next time you’re at the register!

The mission of The Miracle on Craig Street is to root a culturally competent network of resources and opportunities for children and families. Founded in 2015, it focuses on health and wellness through physical activity, food and farming, and personal development and healing. It provides programming for youth summer sports leagues, yoga in the park, self-care workshops, a community gardening project, and a poetry series.

—Alex Mytelka

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

October 2021

Carrots & Potatoes

Check out The Roasted Root’s website at theroastedroot.net for a delicious Grain Free Vegan Carrot Cake recipe that the author made for the Co-op’s 2019 dessert contest.

by Lynn Huntington

October in the garden has a lot in common with May in upstate New York, with not only many garden tasks but an accompanying enormous list of kitchen tasks.

Summer is drawing to a close as I write this and high on our garden to-do list are harvesting, drying (curing), and storing potatoes, and continuing to thin carrot beds.

Today’s harvest included both carrot thinnings and one variety of potatoes; while I dig I’m also planning for what’s next. I have to admit to getting a little carried away with planting potatoes this year. Next year we’ll have to plant many non-nightshade plants in all potato and tomato beds to maintain a good system of crop rotation, which is so important for crop and garden health, but that is another article. If you are interested in learning more about crop rotation, I recommend The New Organic Grower’s Four-Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman, a wonderful resource for the organic gardener.

With a healthy portion of our potatoes harvested, it’s time to cure them for storage. We’ll consume those damaged during harvest and remove any green ones for the compost pile. To cure potatoes for storage, we just leave them in a dark room with normal indoor temperatures (no heat or air-conditioning) for a couple of weeks. This year I actually used my dining room table and covered them gently with a tablecloth.

Once cured, store them with fairly high humidity, not near apples, and, again, in the dark but with some ventilation. Open paper

months. For bigger quantities and longer storage, layer them in a box with damp sand between layers. These will keep best at just above freezing. In all cases remove greens from carrots you plan to store. bags in a dark closed cabinet will do just fine, especially in a humid but cool space like a cellar. I recommend a closed cabinet to keep mice out of your harvest.

Carrots, like potatoes, can be left in the ground until just before the ground freezes. Since potatoes seem more vulnerable to mice and voles we harvest them a bit earlier than carrots (in fact, a few years ago we dug 21 pounds of carrots on January 14!) but carrots can be continually thinned and every bit of the plant is usable, delicious and full of beta-carotene. When it is finally time to harvest carrots they are happily stored in airtight freezer bags in the coldest part of the refrigerator for a couple of

Carrot Soup 3 cups thinly sliced carrots 2 Tbsp. chopped onion or shallots 1/3 cup basmati rice 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (can substitute non-dairy butter)

1 quart vegetable stock •Rinse basmati rice and cook in 2/3 cup water until done (about 20’); set aside.

•While rice is cooking, add chopped onion or shallots to carrots. Cook with 3 Roasted Carrots and Potatoes (no set ingredient amounts)

I’ve been looking forward to using the lovely rosemary plant I found in the Plants Department the last time I shopped at HWFC, so that will be my herb choice for tonight.

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As I thin carrots during the growing season our carrot menu changes. The earliest thinnings became part of 5 quarts of canned homemade vegetable stock. I always save the tops to make another quick batch of stock whenever there is a good supply of stock vegetables available from the garden or HWFC. When the carrots are a few inches long and some potatoes are ready to eat, we’ll have another round of roasted veggies—quick, easy, and great weeknight choice.

Below are recipes for carrots and potatoes from your garden or HWFC’s extraordinary Produce Department.

Tbsp. butter and pinch of salt and sugar in a covered saucepan over medium low heat for about 15'.

•When vegetables are tender, add stock and bring to a simmer.

•When rice is completely cooked add it to carrot mix and simmer for a just a minute or two.

•Remove soup from heat and allow to cool enough to run through a blender, food processor, or food mill.

•Reheat and stir in remaining butter (yes, there’s a lot of butter in this soup).

•Add fresh herbs &or croutons to serve.

• Slice carrots vertically; cut potatoes to a similar size.

• Carrots • Potatoes • Olive oil • Cumin, paprika, or other favorite spice • Rosemary or other herbs • Salt/pepper

• Gently toss the vegetables with olive oil in a large mixing bowl; add spices. To enhance sweetness of carrots you could also add maple syrup or honey to the mix.

• Line a sheet pan with parchment; preheat oven to 400° F.

• Place vegetables in the pan in a single layer and roast for about 15 minutes.

• Remove carrot tops and store in refrigerator for stock.

• Add chopped herbs of your choosing and gently toss once more.

• Scrub carrots and potatoes, and please don’t peel them.

• Return the tray to the oven and continue roasting for another 10–15 minutes.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

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Honest Slate

October 2021

Mindful of Race Unlocks Candid Dialogue in Book Group Zoom Room Takes Truthful Tone

Profoundly personal stories recently brought Honest Weight’s book discussion group—yet again—to a new level with its September review of Ruth King’s Mindful of Race.

Co-facilitated by the Membership (MC) and Anti-Racism (ARC) committees, Sept.

9’s gathering drew 18 Honest Weight community members. MC’s Cara Benson introduced ARC’s Jalinda Soto as partnering moderator. All welcomed and thanked each speaker in turn, deftly tracking a busy queue of raised hands.

Throughout the evening, co-hosts invited sharing and facilitated discussion with accessibility instructions. Questions were respectful and comments insightful.

In a virtual space, presence is altered and it’s important to stay focused. ARC’s Jalinda devoted the first moments to mindfulness (prompting the query, “Can we do this before meetings?”). “Soften your gaze, unclench your teeth, relax your jaw,” she suggested, reminding folks to stay centered on the text and to consider what the book means for us and our role at the Co-op.

“We all enter this work at different places with distinct thoughts on any given day.”

The shift away from agendas, actions, and decisions toward building a group narrative was a compelling experience.

White is a color, not a neutral background.

A chapter on individual and group racial identity inspired much discussion. It was quickly acknowledged that in the media unnamed people are assumed to be white unless otherwise labeled, in relation to negative news and crime.

Racism is not taught overtly but imparted covertly. The challenge lies in uncovering and being aware of all that we encounter.

Jalinda requested recollections around racial history and identity to launch discussion.

by Carol Ostrow

A 2019 Pew Research Center survey showed that 74% of Black adults see race as a central part of their identity, compared to only 15% of white adults.

Supporting the idea that whites think of themselves first as individuals while Blacks tend to identify first racially and secondarily by gender and/or nationality, some with European roots recognized their primary identity as ethnic, religious, or national rather than racial. Several experienced childhoods shaped by highly prejudiced parents—who not only discouraged associating with people of color and of other ethnicities and faiths, but who also avoided the topic.

One MO brought up the idea of what is said versus what remains unsaid. She recalled how resistant her parents were to diversifying socially. Another, raised with a “Wonder Bread mentality,” mentioned working on her own racism years ago.

“This is going to be a lifetime of work.

It’s so engrained.”

Even with tolerance and inclusion taught, measures remain untaken and some matters unchallenged. “We were raised not to be racist,” offered Janet. “But if you dig deeper you have to reckon with certain actions.” Her parents, she said, supported the civil rights agenda but still left their diversifying neighborhood for a predominantly white town.

With apprehension passed down from one generation to the next, racism has become “something we all need to heal from.”

We did not create racism but we perpetuate it if we don’t dismantle it.

Reminding us that [academic] discussions of race are prone to pseudo-science, Kim described her Jamaican culture growing up as being highly influenced by skin color. “I don’t feel completely American as a Black woman. But when I’m in Jamaica, I seem to have privilege because of my lighter complexion.”

“Justice is what love looks like in public.” —Cornel West Jalinda posed the query, “How are we accountable as individuals and at the organizational level? We are all individuals in these organizations…The system was not created for people of color, [so] we have to start with our own personal work to dismantle racism.”

“Race is a social construct,” Jalinda qualified. “It is an idea, a way to justify enslavement. And yet it’s how we have learned to navigate spaces in this world. Perception and/or projection are placed upon people of color as a group…people of color are typically put into a category as a group rather than individuals.”

We are not going to change racism simply by being not racist; we need to be anti-racist. It involves the whole fabric of society.

It was also posited that many Americans, especially whites, lack a sense of cultural identification in a nation founded ostensibly as a melting pot. “American culture seems like the absence of culture,” offered Paul. “People are missing something but don’t know what it is.”

“We were taught everyone was equal, but not how to achieve that.”

“What are you proud of as a white person?” elicits little response, whereas people of color are able to identify what they love about being Black or Latinx etc...

“This work is not about creating a negative narrative about white people,” stated a moderator; rather, people need a clearer concept of what we were taught and also not taught. “People of color were taught a lot even before grade school; whites haven’t had to engage in those conversations.

That’s a privilege.”

Jalinda reminded the group to avoid “either/or” thinking when it comes to white supremacy culture, suggesting, “You cancontinued on page 6

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

October 2021

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Food for Thought : all about apples A

by Joyce Chicoine, Nutrition and Education Committee

The phrase “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” dates back to 1913, but it is based on an earlier quote from 1866: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

While apples may not repel physicians or prevent them from earning a living, the fruits do contain several beneficial nutrients such as fiber, vitamin C, copper, potassium, and vitamin K. Apples are a good source of malic acid, which is useful for softening gallstones. In addition, apples contain cancer-fighting compounds called flavonoids.

contain vitamins A and C, as well as additional fiber.

Apples were first cultivated in Kazakhstan in central Asia where wild apple trees still grow today. From there, they spread throughout Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. The only type of apple that is native to North America is the crab apple, which is mainly considered ornamental. Europeans first brought apple seedlings to North America in the 1600s.

Research also suggests that apples promote brain health and lower the risk of diabetes and asthma. Apple cider vinegar, which is fermented apple juice, has even greater health benefits. It can kill pathogens such as harmful bacteria, as well as lower blood sugar levels and help with weight loss. The glycemic index of apples falls around 40, which is slightly higher than apricots, cherries, grapefruit, and peaches; but lower than grapes, cantaloupe, and watermelon. The main reason for avoiding apples is if you are trying to maintain a low fiber or low carb diet.

Today there are literally thousands of varieties, or cultivars, of apples in existence. A cultivar is a cultivated variety of a plant or animal species containing unique features that can be propagated sexually or asexually. Breeders may select from as many as 45 different traits to focus on when cultivating new varieties of apples. Some examples of these traits are texture, sweetness, longevity, disease-resistance, acidity, flesh firmness, and ripeness. One way of combining two varieties is to graft together the rootstock of one variety and a scion (section of dormant wood) from another variety. This form of asexual propagation is repeated over and over until the new variety has the desired qualities.

What’s the difference between organic and conventional apples? The nutritional benefits are the same. The main differences are that conventional apples may have a longer shelf life, but they are likely to have pesticide residue that is difficult to wash off. Removing the peelings can help, but there still can be pesticides inside the apple. There are benefits to eating the skins of organic apples. The peels

Another way to combine two varieties of apples is with controlled pollination. Pollination occurs naturally when the pollen from the male part of one blossom fertilizes the female part of another blossom.

Honeybees help make this possible. With controlled pollination, breeders select which type of pollen will fertilize which type of flower and complete the process manually.

New York State apple growers produce around 30 million bushels of apples per year, making it the second largest apple-growing state in the country. (Washington state is the largest.) About 15–20 popular cultivars are grown in New York.

These include sweeter varieties such as Gala, Fuji, Cortland, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious. More tart varieties include Pink Lady, Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh, and Granny Smith.

Raw apples are a nutritious snack, but there are many other ways to enjoy them.

Apple cider is made by pressing the juice with a cider press, which can be drunk fresh (hot or cold) or after it has fermented. Applesauce is made by cooking apples with water or cider. Apple butter is applesauce that is cooked until the sugar in the apples has gotten caramelized. Dried apples are a sweet, crunchy snack. Apples are also a key ingredient in many popular recipes, such as Waldorf salad, apple bread, apple muffins, apple pie, and apple crisp. The traditional way of making apple crisp is to peel and slice apples and then top them with a mixture of oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon before baking them. A simple alternative for people who can’t eat grains is to slice and bake the apples first and then top them with grain-free granola.

Add a scoop of ice cream (or a nondairy alternative) and you will feel like you have died and gone to heaven.

HWFC does not provide medical advice.

Please check with a health care practitioner before treating any condition. See pg. 8 for all policies and full disclaimer.

Apple Crisp

Gluten free and low or no sugar! by Annette Kramer and Melissa Trout

•Preheat oven to 375°. Grease 8" x 8" pan or pie pan; add 2 T. water.

•Peel and slice 4 apples; place in pan.

•Drizzle 1 T. maple syrup on apples (optional).

•For the topping, melt 1 T. butter in a small microwavable bowl. Mix ½ cup oats and 2 T. chopped walnuts into the melted butter.

•Sprinkle topping over apples.

•Bake 25–50 minutes until topping is nicely browned and apples are tender. Serves 4.

•If desired, you can use more apples or more sweetening.

Nutrition info for 1 serving (using 4 apples and 1 T. maple syrup): 3 g PRO, 30 g CHO, 7 g FAT, 181 calories.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

6 Mindful of Race continued from page 4

not [change] systemic racism without addressing personal and interpersonal racism.

We cannot put the burden of this work on people of color.”

“I’m not convinced that the white community is monolithic,” another responded, adding that we need to confront the issue globally, not solely individually or nationally. “Ethnicity continues to be a divider in the world. The author provides a wonderful set of tools to explore this.”

A self-described “contrarian” proposed a counterpoint: “This book missed the mark for me. I think of racial issues as inextricably linked to class and economic issues and don’t see how you can address one without the other. There was useful info there and encouragement to reflect, but to really make changes in people’s lives you have to address economic and class issues as well.”

“I see them as interconnected,” Cara responded, clarifying that “without speaking solely to race we’d do a disservice to racial justice.”

Paul further qualified: “The author is consciously isolating the race aspect of individuality.” Quoting from the book that “racism is the most insidious and most enmeshed” form of oppression, he allowed that just as we can’t be all things to all people, we can’t necessarily pay equal attention to all aspects in one book.

Several acquired the book in audio form and then sought printed copies to mark up and study more closely. (One began with a library edition before borrowing a copy and then, finally, purchasing it—stating, “It was ridiculous! I needed to own this book!”)

“Racism is very different from racial prejudice,” Jalinda added. “It’s [about] the power of one group to carry out systemic discrimination at the policy level. We can discuss class and economy [as a means of oppression], but racism serves the interests of white people.” She acknowledged that while economy and gender are also subject to distortion (“isms”), “if we don’t

Honest Slate get around the race issue we won’t get to that intersection [of understanding and healing].”

“We are either racist or anti-racist. Those are the two categories.”

Kim deemed the discussion productive. As a nation, she pointed out, we have always consciously had some form of inequity with power over one group based on the false science of Race. The only way to eliminate that is to create an anti-racist society.

“We’ve all been indoctrinated into the concept of race,” with self-hatred permeating BIPOC communities and simultaneously creating a false sense of security and superiority in white people. “We must be mindful that [either] we all possess aspects of racism therefore we must consciously subscribe to and practice anti-racism.”

• What were you taught or not taught, and how has that affected how you navigate?

• What do you think is the reason behind pride in one’s racial identity?

One person’s mother taught school—as a minority white instructor—in Jamaica, Queens; another was “treated like a queen” in Jamaica—as a person of color.

We see “tons of definitions” for anti-racism, according to Jalinda. “I like to think of it…as actively seeking to raise our consciousness, but also taking action when we see inequity. How many of us see and hear it in homes, among friends and family, and don’t speak up?”

“The Co-op needs to be inclusive.

America needs to be inclusive.

That’s a bigger conversation.”

What can we do at Honest Weight? All agreed that the work must be done on individual, family, community, and systemic levels. How is HWFC creating a culture of care for people of color and what actions should we take? Honest Weight must continue the work and the conversations. Just being present brought an awareness representing the new heart of HWFC’s culture and practice. We are poised for change.

And we are ready!

October 2021 “Whether you are Jamaican, Cuban, Ethiopian, Jewish, Italian…to be mindful is a human experience.”

ARC Invites Connection

“We want to accurately identify some things at the Co-op that are also true within our society,” Kim stated on behalf of ARC. “Feel free to ask questions, visit, and look to join the Anti-Racism Committee. The conversations are often similar to what we’ve had here. We want collaboration across the Co-op.”

Each of us has value and something to be proud of. We must tune ourselves to be aware, and plan to discuss our challenges and our progress regularly.

Resources cited in this event: •Bonnie mentioned United Vision Project for anyone who wants to take action around the division in the U.S. •Paul suggested the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

“Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more.”

•Erin shared the Combahee River Collective Statement manifesto by “a collective of Black feminists…actively committed to struggling against racial, sexual, [and] class oppression…that all women of color face.”

•Tracy recommended Noel Ignatiev’s How the Irish Became White.

• Jalinda suggested Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture.

“I could make connections.”

“I...so appreciated this book.”

“I can see it being a handbook.”

“I can see myself picking this book up time and time again.”

“We could meet every six months just to talk about this book for the next 20 years and still have more to say.”

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

October 2021

Suggestion Box

Q&A

Q: Three Bakers 7 Ancient Grains: Can we order this? (I don’t want a case.)

A: We have no plans to add Three Bakers Ancient Grains. Have you tried the gf Baker’s Seedy bread or Canyon 7 Grain?

Q: Please bring plain croissants back. They were the best!

A: They are back! We’re glad you like them.

Q: Some sale items are still ringing up wrong. L Why? A: We apologize for the error as we continue to hone our precision in the process.

Q: Wallaby yogurt.

A: We have 6 Wallaby varieties in stock in quarts. We hope you find a variety you like.

Q: You’re usually out of gluten free Saratoga rolls. Can you please buy more? Thx. A: We try to keep them in stock. They arrive on Tuesdays and Fridays. You may special order some if you wish.

Q: Please carry pine needle tea.

A: We have not seen pine needle tea offered by any of our distributors. Do you have a particular brand in mind?

Q: The rice pudding you made with rose, pistachio, and cardamom was TOPS! Please make more! Thanks! J A: Cool! Thanks!

Q: Can you PLEASE order some Drew’s Italian dressing? Thank you.

A: A number of Drew’s dressings (including Italian) are still out of stock with our distributor. We hope to have by mid-October.

Q: RX Nut Butter Vanilla Almond.

A: Our current nut butter set has no room for another nut butter.

Q: Please carry Reed’s Ginger Beer 0 Sugar EXTRA (f not already). Thanks A: That’s an excellent idea. We’ve ordered Reed’s 0 Sugar Ginger Beer.

Honest Slate Q: Please carry Amy’s Thai canned soups again. So good!

A: We now have Amy’s Thai curry, will pick up Sweet Potato; hope to receive in October.

Q: Please bring plates back to salad + hot bar. Too much waste with to-go containers only. Thank you!

A: At this time, we have no plans to bring back plates.

Q: Can you please offer smaller containers of vegan mac + cheese? We can’t eat so much. Thanks!

A: We have no plans to pack the vegan mac and cheese in a smaller container. Perhaps you can freeze the extra for later.

Q: Love the mums in the non-plastic pots.

A: We also love the fact that Schoharie Farms uses non-plastic pots.

Q: More signs encouraging shoppers to write down produce PLUs, please.

A: Thanks for the suggestion. We have many new shoppers who are learning the ropes and we’ll explore new ways to get them acclimated.

Q: Add Meat Department closing time to the website, please.

A: We will add the 8pm Meat Department closing time to our website.

Q: New flavor cream puff without such a rich chocolate filling, please!

A: We rotate a variety of fillings. Please check back frequently as we do change offerings.

Q: Pea protein and collagen protein as addin options for shakes.

A: We will look into these options.

Q: Came looking for a veg deli package to scoop on my bread, like tempeh “chicken” or curry tofu or even chickpeas. Only meat stuff today. L One option would be rad!

A: We apologize for the shortage. Our staff is working as fast as they can to produce vegan/vegetarian and meat items. We’re trying to keep up as best as we can.

Q: Electric Vehicle Only signs for Charge Point EV charges. Some are “ICEing.”

7 A: Thanks for your suggestion. We will work on improving EV station signage. [Ed. note: ICEing is an electric vehicle term for when an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle parks in a space designated for EV charging.]

Q: It would have been great to have saltfree chips. I have been looking for salt-free tortilla chips. I know Mi Niña makes them, but we don’t have them.

A: Garden of Eatin’ no salt blue chips had been unavailable but are now available again. We’ve ordered some and hope to receive them soon.

Q: Geranium Scented Meyer’s Company.

A: Would you be looking for Mrs. Meyer’s geranium cleaner, room freshener, or the hand soap?

Q: Liquid Stevia Chocolate Raspberry Sweet Drops.

Q: Sweet Drops Liquid Stevia Valencia Orange.

A: Valencia Orange and Chocolate Raspberry stevia drops are not available to us through our distributors.

Q: Grain Berry cereal multibran flakes— great stuff!

A: Grain Berry cereal is not available through our regular distribution channels. We’ll continue to check on availability.

Q: What happened to Amy’s gluten free pizza? We haven’t seen it since before the pandemic.

A: Amy’s has discontinued a number of products and it appears that Amy’s gluten free pizza is among those that are no longer available.

Q: Can we get Bobo’s Almond Butter Bar? A: The pandemic has made the supply chain for many products quite fragile. We sometimes have to settle for what’s available.

We’ll keep trying to get Bobo’s Almond Butter Bars.

Q: Please keep all items out + available until the Co-op closes. Hot food, olive bar, baked goods + anything else.

A: Due to industry-wide staffing shortages, we have to make adjustments to some of our offerings. We are doing our best. Thank you for your cooperation.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

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Honest Slate

MEMBErSHIP

MEETING INfo Meet the Candidates Thurs., Oct. 21 • 5:30–6:30pm Sun., Oct. 24 • 1:30–2:30pm

sessions

Zoom Help Sessions Wed., Oct. 20 • 6:30–7pm Fri., Oct. 22 • 12–12:30pm Sat., Oct. 23 • 9–9:30am

Nomination forms are available at the front desk. and at www.honestweight.coop/elections.

October 2021

COMMITTEE C O R N E R continued from page 11

Communications Committee (CC) ∙ Nov. copy is due Oct. 23. Next issue Nov. 4.

Honest Arts Committee (HAC) ∙ Requested BOD facilitate repair of committee’s submission link.

Governance Review Council (GRC) ∙ Received BOD request to adjust June 2021 GRC meeting minutes to reflect HOP (Honest Weight Ombuds Panel) was under discussion and no committee had yet been created. ∙ Approved ENC’s Notice for Regular Membership Meeting for Oct. 24, 2021, with revision of time allotted to Bylaws Panel once length of time is agreed upon. ∙ Approved GRC nominations form with minor revisions.

To learn more about Honest Weight Food Co-op committees, visit https://www.honestweight.coop/page/ committees-of-the-board-14.html Finance Committee ∙ Met 09–28 with one guest interested in joining the committee; John Rodat resigned. ∙ Reviewed financial results for first two months of new fiscal year. ∙ Sales for the two-month period were below budget. Staff indicated that perhaps July and August remained slow as vacations and schedules approached a more “normal” level. Summer is traditionally a relatively slow period for the store. Autumn and holidays typically have strong sales.

Staff are preparing seasonal inventory and promotions. ∙ Personnel expenses were below budget.

Co-op remains short-staffed in some departments, particularly Food Service. Starting wage to increase at beginning of January, in line with New York State’s minimum wage increase. ∙ Discussed inflation, gross profit margin, and product availability. ∙ Audit update: Erin Martin, CFO, updated committee on the 2020–2021 fiscal year audit. Audit team was on site for several days in August, and field work went smoothly.

The audit subcommittee scheduled a closing conference with the auditors Oct. 13, 2021, and will report back to FC at its 6pm meeting Oct. 26.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

October 2021

Honest Slate

Statewide Polystyrene Ban Nears

by Tracy Frisch, Environment Committee New York’s ban on polystyrene food containers, packaging, and tableware starts in January 2022. Let the DEC know that you support the ban. The comment period ends in November.

“Styrofoam” is a brand name for polystyrene foam trademarked by the Dow Chemical Company. Most common foam containers, however, are made from the material known as expanded polystyrene foam or foam #6.

Honest Weight’s Environment Committee has promoted the Zero Waste approach since forming in 2017.

Several years ago, Membership approved HWFC’s 8th Statement of Conscience: “We are committed to reducing waste generated at Honest Weight locations and by the products purchased at the Co-op as much as possible, as well as promoting, teaching, and practicing Zero Waste principles.”

Zero Waste prioritizes waste reduction (refusal/avoidance), reuse, repair, recycling, and composting in order to conserve resources, including energy, and reducing the environmental impacts of wasting, such as water pollution from landfills and air pollution from incinerators. Zero Waste is good for the climate, good for economic well-being (it saves money and results in far more jobs than “wasting”), and good for human health.

The imperative to ban single-use plastics “Nothing we use for five minutes should threaten public health and persist in the environment for hundreds of years,” said Alex Truelove, Zero Waste director at the US Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG).

Single-use disposable plastics are squandering natural resources and creating unrecyclable garbage that ends up polluting the oceans and contaminating the bodies of living organisms, including our own, with microplastics. Ending the use of these plastics in the food and retail sectors is a key goal of the Zero Waste movement. It has now become an achievable goal.

Besides refusing single-use plastics as consumers and avoiding their use commercially, people and organizations are successfully advocating to get local, state, and national governments to ban use as well as production.

New York State’s latest ban on such plastics ends the use of expanded polystyrene foam in food containers and disposable cups and tableware, in food service, in packaging materials, and for sale to consumers. The state’s comprehensive ban on expanded polystyrene foam food containers covers food trucks, restaurants, delis, and caterers as well as grocery and retail stores. This ban goes into effect in January 2022.

The few exemptions to the state ban include egg cartons, packaging for raw meat and fish, and prepackaged food sealed prior to delivery. Fines for violating the ban start at $250 and escalate to $1,000 for subsequent violations.

Five states have now banned expanded polystyrene foam.

Four additional states, including Maine, Vermont, Maryland, and New Jersey, have enacted their own bans on expanded polystyrene foam. As in New York, the other states’ bans go into effect in 2022.

There are many reasons to ban expanded polystyrene (including Styrofoam). According to industry publication Waste Dive, recycling expanded polystyrene is neither practical nor economically viable for residential collection due to high transportation costs and breakdown into tiny plastic beads causing contamination.

Like other plastics made from fossil fuels, expanded polystyrene foam including Styrofoam is not biodegradable. Over time, it breaks down into tiny pieces. These microplastics pollute waterways and myriad land masses, harming fish, birds, turtles, and other wildlife that ingest them. Rivers containing microplastics flow into the ocean, continuing harm to the food chain.

9 Like other plastics made from fossil fuels, expanded polystyrene foam—including Styrofoam—is not biodegradable, causes pollution, and harms the food chain.

Styrene, the building block of polystyrene, is classified as a “probable human carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Styrene is also neurotoxic. Polystyrene manufacturing creates such a tremendous quantity of hazardous waste that the US EPA named it the fifth largest generator of hazardous waste in 1986. High levels of human exposure to styrene are most likely to occur through inhalation in polystyrene factories.

Small amounts of styrene can migrate into food from expanded polystyrene foam packaging when food is hot, fatty, or acidic or contains alcohol.

In a global study of bottled water, researchers found that 93% of bottled drinking water contained microplastics; 11% of these microplastics were polystyrene.

You can let the NYS DEC know that you support the ban by writing in during the official comment period.

Before the ban goes into effect, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation must solicit public comments about its regulations for the ban and then finalize them.

Concerned citizens are invited to communicate support for the ban in writing to the DEC. Citizens may submit comments by email to foamban@dec.ny.gov or by mail to: NYS DEC, Recycling Outreach and Education Section, Division of Materials Management, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7253.

Be sure to include the words “Comments on Proposed Part 353” in your email subject line or at the top of written comments. The comment period ends Nov. 22, 2021.

Find out more about the state’s ban and additional information about submitting comments at https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/120762.html.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

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Honest Slate

Board decisions The HWFC Board of Directors approved the following at the 6pm Oct. 5 Board Meeting: The following decision was affirmed: • Erin Martin, CFO, to serve as Interim CCO. The following decisions were made: • The November 2021 meeting of the Board of Directors will take place on Tuesday, November 9 at 6 pm.

• The Board approved, until the next meeting of the Board of Directors, Employees who are not absent due to COVID-19-related reasons may access sick time accruals without the need to supply a doctor’s note other than for compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

• Extend until the next meeting of the Board of Directors the suspension of the one-year service requirement and requirement for a doctor’s note for those with a personal illness to use the Leave Transfer Bank Policy with the modification that FFCRA-eligible Employees are not eligible for the Leave Transfer Policy.

• On-site committee meetings, on-site orientations, and in-store tabling are suspended until the next meeting of the Board of Directors.

• The Working Off The Clock policy was approved for addition to the Employee Manual.

• The Bridging of Service policy was approved for addition to the Employee Manual.

• The NYS HERO Act Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan was added to the Employee Manual.

• The Food Service Experienced Cook job description was approved.

• Richard Mausert was removed as an authorized signatory on all HWFC financial accounts.

We the People Consenting to a Deeper Democracy

Dear Co- op Community,

•Are you interested in how an organization—specifically Honest Weight—can make decisions in as participatory a way as possible?

•Do you think involving and valuing each individual in the organization will bog down the process?

•Can HW do better in its mission of being democratically run?

•What are we doing well and what can be improved? More importantly, how?

These ideas can be easy to talk about in the abstract, but can we really put deep democracy into action here? What would that look like?

Good news! There’s a book that can help us think through these questions together.

We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy by John Buck and Sharon Villines is the next in our Reading Group series.

The book is a look at sociocracy, an organizational model that draws on traditional

OctoBer 2O21 Editors & Contributors Cara Benson Deanna Beyer Yevette Buddeau David Bulnes Joyce Chicoine Stephanie Conde Erin Donahue Myra Fedyniak

Elisa Grimm Lynn Huntington Don Kennison Annette Kramer Paula McKeough Carol Ostrow Janet Sorell Tyler Varese

Submissions Policy for articles & contributions:

• Preferred maximum length is 800 words.

• Material is published at the discretion of the Honest Slate team.

• Only signed work is accepted; items are edited for length, grammar & style.

We may consider unsolicited material but encourage submitting ideas first. Letters to the Editors do not require preapproval.

Contact honestslate@honestweight.coop with questions, comments, or article suggestions.

October 2021 concepts of democracy and incorporates the contemporary science of systems thinking and complexity theory to create truly collaborative governance structures. Don’t worry if this sounds too heady; the book is full of anecdotes and examples to help us envision the possibilities.

For loaner copies email Yevette at memberservices@honestweight.coop; or purchase it via the Book House at Stuyvesant Plaza (1475 Western Ave. in Albany; 518–489– 4761), which has a few copies in store and can order more. The reading group discount is not available for this book.

Questions? Contact MembershipComm@ honestweight.coop. Then, save the date!

Thursday, Nov. 11 • 7–9pm Join Zoom Meeting Online

https://zoom.us/j/93245124472 Meeting ID: 932 4512 4472

To join by phone

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 932 4512 4472

We Owe You The Co-op has money waiting for a number of individuals whom we cannot locate.

If you or anyone you know appears on the list below, the Finance Department urges you to contact the Co-op at your earliest convenience: finance@honestweight.coop.

Hank Adams Nishi Beharry Timothy J. Cowper Stephen Dornbush Gillian Eastwood

Eva Foitzik Laurel Holden Maria Kuhsel Emily Mowel Mark Pranys

Lily Ringler Elias Saifan Kimberly Truitt Kenneth Windstein

Statement of Purpose: Honest Slate is a platform for HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance: promoting transparency, reporting news without bias, and sustaining community.

Honest Slate articles are for informational purposes and are not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Opinions expressed in Honest Slate do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Honest Slate or Honest Weight Food Co-op.

All contents ©2021 Honest Weight Food Coop; no material appearing in Honest Slate may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of HWFC.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

October 2021

COMMITTEE C O R N E R

by Stephanie Conde Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) ∙ Discussed Implicit Bias including focus groups, affinity spaces, surveys, HR data (hiring, retention, discipline, promotion), and anti-racism training). ∙ To facilitate ARC’s need for ongoing collaboration with HR Director, requested BOD direct CCO (or Acting CCO) give HR Director permission and support to collaborate with Anti-Racism Committee on ongoing basis with work plan tasks, including (but not limited to) guidance on data from Paychex, guidance/collaboration on mandatory staff training development and execution, and guidance on affinity spaces/social learning groups and legal compliance. ∙ Shared with BOD results of survey for HWFC MOs (Member-Owners) and staff who completed “Kirwan Implicit Bias Training High Level Results.”

Environment Committee (EC) ∙ Received BOD permission to collaborate with Marketing to launch Zero Waste messaging along with a presentation. BOD requested another run-through of presentation. ∙ Subgroup to meet via Zoom to create overview/possible structure for updates to Environment Manual (by focus areas) and assemble action steps to begin research phase. ∙ Experiencing lack of communication from Bullrock Solar; seeking way to clarify status of project. ∙ Continue looking at ways to gather energy usage data in conjunction with CFO and CCO, including possible installation of power meter to monitor usage. A company (ABS) gave proposal for equipment fixes to aid energy conservation; discussed details with CCO and HWFC Store Manager.

Personnel Committee (PC) ∙ Continuing revision to Employee Manual. ∙ Requested BOD approve: (1) adding Coop’s newly adopted Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan to Employee Manual (per NYS Hero Act requirements); (2) adding new section to Employee Manual on “Bridging of Service” to credit rehires with accumulated length of service for purposes of accrual of Paid Time Off (contin-

11

Honest Slate

Preliminary committee reports submitted for the Board of Directors’ Oct. 5, 2021, meeting. See meeting packet for details. Full Board-approved committee reports are posted on HWFC’s website.

gent on good standing at time of separation and successful completion of rehired probationary period); and (3) deleting portion of “Vacation Coverage” in Employee Manual (page 35, forfeiture of accrued seniority during previous employment tenure) if “Bridging of Service” addition is approved. ∙ Resubmitted updated “Working off the Clock” Policy. Employees must be punched in while working regardless of location; and, if work while not punched in, must notify supervisor within 24 hours or ASAP. Repeat offenders without reasonable explanation may be subject to disciplinary action.

Membership Committee (MC) ∙ New member orientations continue via Zoom. In-person sessions on hiatus due to Covid. Discussed possible second orientation for those interested in governance, linking to MC outreach, and basing on interest survey. ∙ Next book discussion group, We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy, meets Nov. 11 (7–9pm) via Zoom [see page 10]. ∙ Discussed Bylaws Panel recommendations for changes, meeting, and attendance at meeting with BOD. ∙ Representation at BOD meeting as member time allows, for now. ∙ Chief Cooperative Officer (CCO) Search Committee continues to review applicants, interview candidates. ∙ Discussed reviewing MO Manual items needing updates next month. ∙ Posted need for additional MC members in Honest Slate. Discussed pre-Covid events at RMMs where in-person meeting of new members was possible; not now.

Elections & Nominations Committee (ENC) ∙ Preparing for upcoming GRC election. Drafting documentation on processing electronic/Survey Monkey ballots. Discussed having year-round election form availability (rather than a limited time immediately preceding elections) and changes to nomination form questions. Updated GRC nomination form for use at October Regular Membership Meeting (RMM); sent to GRC for feedback.

Will revert to simpler, more high-level Excel timeline. ∙ Requested that BOD discuss/approve yearround availability of nomination forms for BOD elections; and allow 20 minutes at Jan-

uary RMM to discuss nomination process and seek Membership’s input. ∙ Most Voting Handbook documentation regards in-person meetings and voting. Discussed updating documents to include remote meeting processes. NYS requirements inform whether remote meetings can continue beyond temporary approval (expires Jan. 2022). Requested BOD share updates on discussions of RMM location. ∙ Reached out to two individuals who may have governance interest to see if they might join ENC. Published recruitment article in Honest Slate. Began outreach to some Co-op committees to observe meetings for best practices and/or ideas ENC may want to adopt with goal of attracting more ENC members. Also exploring if committee members may be identified or interested in serving on BOD or GRC since they are often knowledgeable about HWFC governance. continued on page 8 A Message from Marketing: Curbside Program Seeks a Few Good Shoppers With cold and flu season on the horizon (along with rising COVID numbers), we anticipate more requests for curbside shopping. We’d like to continue to offer this valuable program to the community, but can’t do it without help from our wonderful Member-Owners.

The program runs weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We are looking for organized, self-motivated shoppers with good communication skills to work Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. We can’t guarantee that there will be orders for each shift, but as ALL departments are understaffed right now, we are looking for members who will be flexible and willing to invest time in other departments, if that’s the case.

If interested and willing to give this a try, please reach out to curbside@honestweight.coop or memberservices@honestweight.coop with your availability for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Please see page 12, col. 3 for additional info.

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop

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Honest Slate

Co-opportunities:

by Yevette Buddeau,

Membership Manager (MM) October is here, and we’re starting to feel some of the brrr of the ‘ber months to come. Hot chocolate and longer evenings indoors are on the way! Cold and flu season may be lurking around the corner as well.

Make sure to stay home if you’re feeling any symptoms, especially as we move into the months that may hold an increase in Covid cases. Not to mention, you actually deserve to rest when you’re ill. For real.

Please make sure to alert your department as soon as you know you won’t make it in for your shift.

Want to help your Co-op during this time of worker shortages? While we have many truly dedicated and talented people, the Co-op is still experiencing hardship due to worker shortages just like the rest of the country. Regardless of all of our differing

It’s Tulip Time!

Yes, fall is tulip time—planting time, that is!

Do you love seeing the colorful tulips welcoming you to HWFC each spring and chasing away the grey of winter? Yes!?! Well, those tulips aren’t going to plant themselves! Grab your shovel and a fleece and get to the Coop at 10am on Saturday , Nov. 6 (rain date Sunday, Nov. 7).

There are about 70 holes to dig and we will work until we are done—but never fear —many hands make light work! Member hours will be earned and hot apple cider (and maybe a paleo pumpkin treat) will be available. RSVP with Yevette at memberservices@honestweight.coop by Oct. 30.

Sweatshirts Available

• Price: $29.99 • At the service desk • Discount can be used!

October 2021

mEMBER-oWNER Announcements There is no “they” for HWFC Owners—only “we.”

Join in, and take pride in what you can offer.

views about why that is, one thing holds true: it’s time to pull together and make sure our Co-op persists. Owners are encouraged to come in and become Member-Owners by investing time in the store. On-again-offagain MOs are encouraged to come in more consistently to help make sure our needs in the store are predictably covered. This is the time to support your Co-op and the staff who are so deeply dedicated that they keep at it regardless of how hard it gets. Come be part of what makes the Co-op our own community store!

Bakery needs MOs on Sundays–Thursdays midmorning to early afternoon who are proficient at following recipes such as cookies, scones, muffin batters, etc. Must be able to lift heavy items and move consistently throughout the 3-hour shift. Professional experience is a plus but not required if you’re familiar with basic recipes. You’ll produce large-scale batches using larger mixers/ tools. Pretty cool, huh? This requires a weekly commitment to the same date and time so we can plan the cooking schedule. Contact Anastasia at AnastasiaRodgers@honestweight.coop for details or to sign up.

The Kitchen seeks MOs for somewhat flexible times on Sunday and Monday evenings 3–9pm, and Wednesday or Thursday, midmornings to early afternoons. General tasks may include prepping vegetables, making salads/dips/sauces, and multitasking while following recipes. No professional experience is required but we’re looking for people with some level of cooking/knife skills.

Professional experience is a plus. Requires a weekly commitment to the same date and time within the open time frames. Contact Ashley at AshleyP@honestweight.coop. Bakery and Kitchen openings could be a great way for an MO to gain commercial kitchen experience while helping the Co-op in a crunch. Plus, the Kitchen crew is a great and fun group to get to spend time with!

Interested in joining Honest Weight Food Co-op’s Team as an Employee?

Check out our Employment Page.

We also need MOs to shop for curbside orders if we experience an uptick in these orders as winter draws close. It’s important to note that this is not a call for more people to put in curbside orders; this is a call to add MOs to the group who shops for the orders.

The perfect MOs for this curbside help slot would be those who can double as sales floor help on days when there are minimal curbside orders. That way you earn your MO hours regardless of whether there are any such orders that day, and we are able to provide the curbside service if Owners do start ordering. MOs who want to do this but need help setting up their “backup” salesfloor department can reach out to Yevette at memberservices@honestweight.coop.

The Front End is seeking MO cashier help on all days of the week, various times, especially weekend shifts and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. Courtesy clerks are needed for weekend shifts; this is a great way to get to know the Co-op and community through great customer service and interaction. Contact Katie at Katie@ honestweight.coop or Morgaen at MorgaenHansen@honestweight.coop to sign up and help out.

Outreach needs a good classroom-friendly MO or two to help with programs the Co-op does in Albany schools. Someone who can create a fun and connectable atmosphere for a diverse group of young kids would be ideal. You would be doing programs with Amy during the school day to make smoothies or snacks with kids while talking about healthy and nutritious food choices. Contact Amy@honesweight.coop to discuss.

To end on a positive note: We can do this!

There’s no “they” if you’re an Owner at the Co-op, it’s all we! Join in and take pride in what you have to offer. Bring yourself to this local and self-governed cooperative to help keep it smoothly moving into the future. Attend the Membership Meeting on October 24, and run for the GRC or join a committee.

This is the time!

Honest Weight Food Co-op • 100 Watervliet Ave. Albany, NY 12206 • 518-482-2667 • https://www.honestweight.coop/ • honestslate@honestweight.coop