George Street Co-op
Encyclopedia
The George Street Co-op is a food cooperative located in New Brunswick
, New Jersey
. The George Street Co-op runs a retail store at 89 Morris Street, selling foods and select hygiene and household products to the general public and to its membership. The Co-op, as it is known to its members, maintains a focus on offering vegetarian, organic
, local food
, naturally grown
and fair trade
products.
Vegetarian Club started a buying club out of a garage near George Street in New Brunswick. A year later, the Co-op moved to a new building on George Street and opened a small retail store.
In May 1988 the George Street Co-op purchased and moved into a new building at 89 Morris Street. At this time, Co-op members debated renaming the organization, but after much consideration it was decided to keep the historic name.
George Street Co-op sponsors Kids Kafe, a bimonthly cooking class for children.
There are now branches of Kids Cafe in the UK - www.kidscafe.org.uk
The George Street Co-op and the affiliated restaurant are listed in the 2011 International Raw Food Restaurant Directory published by Ki Publishing Co-operative www.kipublishing.com. Ki Publishing is a member of the Tower Hamlets CDA (Co-operative Development Agency) in East London. Another co-operative in Tower Hamlets, a food co-operative, takes and sells fresh food to residents in East London who are not mobile enough to shop for themselves. www.cooperation.coop
and all interested members present, to discuss overall policies and directions. With the Board as its proxy, the membership steers all George Street Co-op policy.
All George Street Co-op members receive a discount on retail items purchased in the Co-op store. In addition, members may choose to do labor in the store, in return for which they receive additional discounts. A member who works 2 hours per month receives a 6% discount; a member who works 8 hours per month receives a 15% discount.
consists of up to 12 members, elected to three-year terms by vote of the Co-op membership. The Board makes policy and strategy decisions, selects store management, and (subject to approval by membership vote) makes amendments to the Co-op bylaws. The Board meets on the second Monday of each month.
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The George Street Co-op runs a retail store at 89 Morris Street, selling foods and select hygiene and household products to the general public and to its membership. The Co-op, as it is known to its members, maintains a focus on offering vegetarian, organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
, local food
Local food
Local food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular...
, naturally grown
Certified Naturally Grown
Certified Naturally Grown is a non-profit alternate farm assurance certification program created for small-scale organic farmers, and striving to strengthen the organic movement by preserving high organic standards and removing financial barriers that tend to exclude smaller farms that are selling...
and fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
products.
History
The George Street Co-op was formed in 1973 when ten people from the RutgersRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
Vegetarian Club started a buying club out of a garage near George Street in New Brunswick. A year later, the Co-op moved to a new building on George Street and opened a small retail store.
In May 1988 the George Street Co-op purchased and moved into a new building at 89 Morris Street. At this time, Co-op members debated renaming the organization, but after much consideration it was decided to keep the historic name.
George Street Co-op sponsors Kids Kafe, a bimonthly cooking class for children.
There are now branches of Kids Cafe in the UK - www.kidscafe.org.uk
The George Street Co-op and the affiliated restaurant are listed in the 2011 International Raw Food Restaurant Directory published by Ki Publishing Co-operative www.kipublishing.com. Ki Publishing is a member of the Tower Hamlets CDA (Co-operative Development Agency) in East London. Another co-operative in Tower Hamlets, a food co-operative, takes and sells fresh food to residents in East London who are not mobile enough to shop for themselves. www.cooperation.coop
Members
The George Street Co-op is wholly owned by its membership. Twice per year, a Membership Meeting is convened, with the Co-op's Board of DirectorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and all interested members present, to discuss overall policies and directions. With the Board as its proxy, the membership steers all George Street Co-op policy.
All George Street Co-op members receive a discount on retail items purchased in the Co-op store. In addition, members may choose to do labor in the store, in return for which they receive additional discounts. A member who works 2 hours per month receives a 6% discount; a member who works 8 hours per month receives a 15% discount.
Board of Directors
The Board of DirectorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
consists of up to 12 members, elected to three-year terms by vote of the Co-op membership. The Board makes policy and strategy decisions, selects store management, and (subject to approval by membership vote) makes amendments to the Co-op bylaws. The Board meets on the second Monday of each month.