In this month's newsletter:
- A Word from the General Manager
- A Word from Your Board
- Events, Announcements, & Community Happenings
- Online Ordering with Curbside Pick-up
- Financial Meeting of Owners
- Virtual Rigg's Beer Tasting
- Pay-What-You-Can Virtual Fitness Class
- Prairie Food Co-op Crowdfunding
- Updates to Our Prepared Foods Departments
- Featured Items
- Latest Beer & Wine Selection
- Radish Rewards: An Owner Loyalty Program
- Recent Blog Posts
- Common Ground's Link Match Program
- Exciting New Products
- Round Up For Good Update
- Thanks for Reading $2 Off Coupon
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by Gary Taylor
"We received the Urbana Arts and Culture Grant! We have contracted a local artist, Madelyn Witruk, to paint a mural on our planters. It will emphasize our community's commitment to our local food system (Ends #1 and #4). Emphasizing our “farm to table story”, the mural will recreate scenes of local farms, the Urbana farmers market, and our diverse community."
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by Calvin Wang
"Join us at 6pm on Thursday, April 29 for our annual Financial Meeting Of Owners. Similar to last year, we will be hosting a virtual Financial Meeting Of Owners…"
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The Board of Directors typically meets the second Monday of the month from 6:15 to 8:15 pm in the Flatlander Classroom.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors meets online via Zoom.
Email board@commonground.coop for more information!
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Coming to your home: Rigg's Beer Tasting! |
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Spend the night drinking local brews and learn from Matt Riggs, owner and local brewmaster, as he shares the brewing process and tasting notes of four different styles of beers including their American Lager, Hefeweizen, Dopplebock, and Pilsner. Preorder your local Riggs mixed four-pack and join us and Riggs Beer Company for a Virtual Beer Tasting Sunday, April 18th at 5pm! You'll also hear about Co-op updates, community impacts, and our role in local regenerative agriculture. Leave dinner to us and preorder a Co-op frozen pizza that pairs perfectly with local Riggs Beer.
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PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN
VIRTUAL FITNESS CLASS
Join SweatPractice for a virtual fitness class; all donations given to the Co-op's Round Up program!
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Start a fitness routine that not only benefits you,
but your local community too!
Sweat Practice, owned and operated by Co-op owners and previous Co-op staff, Maria Ludeke and Nightrain Epton, is teaming up with Common Ground Food Co-op to bring you monthly Pay-What-You-Can Community Fitness Classes! All proceeds raised in this monthly fitness series will benefit the current recipient of Common Ground's Round Up For Good program. This April fitness class will benefit Prairie Rivers Network.
Each of these Sweat Practice classes is taught with all-levels in mind - all you need is your mat! The upcoming virtual live streaming class is Sunday, April 25 12-1pm. Donate what you can in the form below and you will be sent a confirmation email with instructions on how to complete class registration through Sweat Practice's in order to access a live streaming link to the class. For any questions, please email marketing@commonground.coop.
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Crowdfunding with Prairie Food Co-op |
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FUNDRAISER FOR PRAIRIE FOOD CO-OP AND SUPPORT FOR
END #2
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"Last month, we were presented with an extraordinary opportunity to do just this. An Illinois food co-op in the planning stages reached out to us. Prairie Food Co-op of Lombard, IL has accrued over 1,200 owners, secured a space for their storefront, and are on the mission to raise more capital to make their dream come to fruition. As a fellow Illinois food co-op, they reminded us of the importance of End #2, strengthening the cooperative movement."
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Skip the line and shop at the Co-op Shop! Order your groceries from home and pick them up curbside. You can find more than 3,000 Co-op products on the Co-op Shop!
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LATEST BEER & WINE SELECTIONS
Hear from our Beer & Wine specialist, Lisa,
on what's new in the store!
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2016 Gramona La Cuvee Cava, Corpinnat (Penedes), Spain $18.99
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Cava is Spain’s version of “Champagne” and as Cava’s go, this is the finest producer I have ever come across. La Cuvee is this producer’s first-tier and is available in the store now. Typically, a
first-tier Cava would be aged for about 6 months in bottle before release and would likely be a
non-vintage. At Gramona, they age in bottle for 30+ months depending on the vintage, and yes, it is vinted and yes, quite ageable! The blend is 55% Xarel·lo, 35% Macabeo and 10% Parellada. The profile is medium intensity. Elegant floral notes shaded by stone fruit (think peach & apricot), golden apple, and lemon peel and finishes with a timid note of raw almond.
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Donati Pinot Nero, Mezzocorona, Trentino, Italy $18.99
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This wine is delicious. It is fruity, but not jammy, with lovely hints of wild cherry, brambly fruits and black currant. It is smooth and silky on the palate with a seamless finish. Give
it a try, I think you won’t be disappointed.
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2016 Hook’s Bay Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand $11.99 |
The profile: lovely fruit intensity, aromas of cherry and fresh herbs lead to a soft, juicy palate with flavors of red currant, cranberry and a delicate spicy note from French oak aging. |
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UPDATES TO OUR PREPARED FOOD DEPARTMENTS
Out with the old, in with the new!
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What's Happening?
Common Ground has replaced the old salad bar with a brand new grab n' go island cooler!
Why's It Happening?
The COVID pandemic has significantly changed shopping trends and affected projections for future shopping trends. Impacted most are self-serve food options. In market studies across the country, shoppers are projected to continue avoiding buffets, salad bars, and other self-service food options. In 2020, we shut down our salad bar and hot soup wells due to the pandemic. With shopping trends looking bleak for their reopening, we realized we needed a viable alternative. Rather than waiting for self-serve food to make a comeback (if it does), losing sales in our prepared foods departments, and doing costly repairs to the salad bar unit, we applied for a grant with the City of Urbana to purchase a Grab n’ Go Island cooler. We are excited to announce that we received grant, covering the cost for the whole unit. It is now up and running! Check out the new selections we have for you.
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Edamame Superfood Salad ($6.00) |
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Cranberry and Goat cheese Salad ($5.99) |
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Soup options, 16 and 24 oz
A smaller option for you lunch or a larger option for dinner at home.
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CAFE & GRAB N' GO FEATURES
Try these new menu items & old favorites!
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April's Drink of the Month is the White Chocolate Mocha.
Made to satisfy your sweet tooth, this drink of the month has Monin white chocolate syrup, a choice of milk, and two shots of espresso.
12 oz : $4.50
16 oz : $5.00
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INTRODUCING RADISH REWARDS: AN OWNER LOYALTY PROGRAM
Every Owner Gets Radish Rewards!
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Each time you use your owner number, you now accrue points with our new owner loyalty program, Radish Rewards!
What are Radish Rewards?
With Radish Rewards, owners can earn 1% back on their purchases. You earn 1 point per dollar spent and those points can be redeemed as cash off a Common Ground purchase! Owners must accrue 200 points, or $2.00 in rewards, before redemption. They add up fast, just ask our Changemakers about your points the next time you are checking out!
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HAVE YOU VISITED THE COMMON GROUND BLOG RECENTLY?
Take a look at our latest blog posts!
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"Every year, we measure all the ways we worked to meet our Ends. Typically, we release the Impact Report at our annual Financial Meeting of Owners in April, but we wanted to share it with our owners early this year! 2020 was an unprecedented and chaotic year, but we are so proud of the impact we made. This report will detail how we specifically worked to meet our four Ends and showcase our response to the challenges and calls-to-action we were presented last year. We thank you all for your unwavering support and hope you enjoy seeing the impact your co-op made in the community!"
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"The world of fair trade is definitely extensive and complicated. There is so much amazing work being done to increase worker wages, develop communities, and provide safe working environments. However, no system is perfect. There are complications and shortcomings in fair trade, such as lack of transparency, lower accessibility, and some descrepency in wages between what we often consider "blue collar" work and "white collar" work. Nevertheless, fair trade organizations collectively work to improve the lives of laborers and communities as a whole. "
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LINK MATCH AT COMMON GROUND
In partnership with The Land Connection & Winter Farmers Market, CGFC is part of a Link Match grant!
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Common Ground is excited to be accepting Link Match vouchers this winter! In partnership with The Land Connection & Winter Farmers Market, any shopper who uses SNAP at the winter market will receive an equal dollar amount in Link Match vouchers. These vouchers can be redeemed at the Co-op on local produce!
How does it work?
Thanks to the Link Up Illinois grant, The Land Connection's winter farmers market in Lincoln Square Mall is offering Link Match vouchers for every dollar of SNAP spent at the market. For example, a shopper swipes their Link card fo $10 in market tokens, they will receive an additional ten $1 vouchers to be spent at the winter market or at Common Ground. To promote and support the local food system, these vouchers are valid only on local fruits and vegetables. There is a $20 match limit for these vouchers.
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How do I know what's local?
Just look for our special signs! All our local produce is marked with a special green sign, indicating which local farm it was sourced from. Additionally, for the duration of the grant, all local produce will be tagged with a special "Eligible for Link Match with Voucher" signs.
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SEASONAL PRODUCE UPDATE
SHOP TO SUPPORT LOCAL
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Green Pantry Nursery Herbs are back in action! Support local and use them in your recipes for all of April! |
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Update on Ludwig Farmstead
Fresh mozzarella and Cheese Curds (all flavors) will be discontinued.
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Cabot Creamery Co-op
Synergy Cheddar Cheese
Synergy is produced by Cabot Creamery Co-operative and aged in the Cellars at Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont and can be found in our specialty cheese section!
Jasper Hill Farm is committed to preserving Vermont’s working landscape. Jasper Hill has partnered with three other farmstead cheesemakers and Cabot Cooperative to cave-age cheese in underground aging vaults on-site. The Cellars’ seven vaults comprise a piece of infrastructure designed to add as much value as possible to the region’s raw materials.
Cabot Creamery is one of the oldest family farm cooperatives in New England, primarily known for their world-class line of cheddars. Jasper Hill works with Cabot graders to hand-select vats of young cheese that are suited to graceful cave-ripening. Upon arrival at ‘Vault 5’, a temperature and humidity-controlled cave within The Cellars, blocks are coated with lard, brushed, and turned in order to cultivate a living natural rind. These traditional methods impart unique complexity to the developing cheese.
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Cabot Creamery Cooperative
Synergy Cheddar
6.5 oz $7.49
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NEW ITEMS AT COMMON GROUND
take a peek at what we're stocking now!
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Wanton Wraps & Eggroll Wraps
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Hodo Organic Vegan Moroccan Tofu & Organic Vegan BBQ Tofu
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Organic Teriyaki Baked Tofu 6 oz
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Vegan Italian Style Meatballs |
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Queso Nuestro-Queso Fresco 10 oz
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BACK IN STOCK!
these favorites are finally back on our shelves!
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- Freeze-Dried Strawberries (bulk)
- Crystallized Ginger (bulk)
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April Round Up for Good: Buy Black Chambana
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In April our Round Up for Good Grant will be providing support to Prairie Rivers Network.
"At Prairie Rivers Network, we 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."
Their Proposal Project will be used to support PRN’s work to promote a food system that is based on regenerative agriculture practices, which build healthy soil, protect water, and support biodiversity while producing healthy food. One of the largest and most insidious threats to our land, water, and wildlife is chemical-based agriculture and the pesticides it is dependent on. PRN has been working to build awareness of and document the damages to trees, plants, and crops caused by highly volatile agricultural herbicides like Dicamba. Very little attention has been paid to the threats posed by these herbicides to natural areas, private property, specialty crops, and ecosystem health. The influence of the chemical agriculture industry in Illinois is strong and far-reaching. This grant will support our work to build alliances, monitor symptoms of herbicide damage, and educate landowners, the public, and public servants about the symptoms we are seeing across Illinois and the US.
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Enjoy $2 off your next purchase of $15 or more |
Just bring in this slip or show it on your device. Valid through the end of April. May not be reused or used for sale items, Co-op Basics, or alcohol.
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