Newsletter: October 2024

The Mushroom Messenger KCG Monthly Newsletter: October 2024 Bringing you the monthly news of Kennett Community Grocer, a growing Food Co-op committed to local food, community, and culture. Hello to our Member-Owners and Friends!   In this edition: KCG Board: Update on lease negotiations 🏢 Membership growth accelerates 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Event plans and photos 🍺 How to use your membership card 💳 WHAT’S THE BOARD BEEN UP TO? The Board anticipates a vote from Borough Council this month on the lease for 600 S. Broad Street. Following the vote, there will be a period of legal review by both Borough Council and KCG. Once we finalize this work toward our future home, we will send out a special announcement to Member-Owners and the community at large. Thank you for your patience and encouragement through this pivotal time. In other business, we accepted the resignation of Adam Peterson from the Board and the appointment of Mitch Warren, who will be working with Lindsay Cook to take over her Treasurer duties once her term has ended. We thank both Adam and Lindsay heartily for their years of dedicated service. We also extend thanks to Rachel Warren who announced that she will step down from leading the Events Committee, a task she took on with enthusiasm and success. We are in search of a new Events Committee Chair as well as volunteers for our capital campaign. These are key roles for continuing the growth of KCG!   Our next Board meeting will be Monday, October 14, at 7 PM in the Community Room of the Kennett Township Office,  801 Burrows Run Road,Chadds Ford, PA  19317. The meeting will be hybrid. (Find the meeting link on our events calendar.) All members are welcome to attend. Note the change in venue! KCG Member-Owners and friends enjoy drinks and conversation at our September Happy Hour. Thank you, Braeloch Brewing! MEMBERSHIP EVER-GROWING We are currently at a Member-Owner count of 440, adding another 16 new members since the publication of our last newsletter. Our growth has been consistent and encouraging as you continue to help us get the word out to the community. Presently, we need volunteers to work on events and to help us plan (and design materials for) our donation campaign. Please join us to help us continue to build our membership and the store. Fill out the volunteer form found on the website, and our volunteer coordinator Sandi Murphy will be in touch to discuss your interests. Reminder: The Founding 500 members will be honored in the store. If you want to be recognized as part of this forward-looking group – or know someone who might – now is the time to join! Members will determine what this commemoration will look like – a brick walkway? a mural wall? so many options! BECOME A MEMBER-OWNER TODAY UPCOMING EVENTS Your Events Team is raising funds and keeping KCG’s profile high in the community. Here’s what’s happening in October. Keep up with events as they are announced by following KCG on social media! Tables at Local Events Chat with us at the Kennett Regional Fire Department Fall Festival on Saturday, October 19 from 2-6 PM (36 Firehouse Dr, Kennett Square).   Member-Owner “All Hands” Update Call Pending the outcome of lease negotiations with the Kennett Borough, the KCG Board will schedule and hold a Zoom meeting to fill you in on what happens next. This call will be in lieu of our usual in-person Annual Member Meeting, which beginning in 2025 will be held in the Spring to coincide with KCG's fiscal year.   KCG Member-Owners enjoying an apple tasting at our September fundraiser. Thank you, North Star Orchards! KCG events are a fun way to contribute to the Co-op! MEMBER BENEFIT PROGRAM Have you used your membership card yet? Nineteen local farms, businesses, and vendors offer discounts to KCG Member-Owners. So keep it handy! Check out this video showing what a day of farm shopping looked like for one of our Board Members... FUNDING THE STORE

Our last few newsletter Special Feature stories have explored the need to raise money for the store. Raising capital funds from a variety of sources is known as building the “Capital Stack.” It takes more than the Member Equity Shares to have enough money to do everything required for the store prior to the time when the Co-op is self-supporting. A Co-op differs from a privately-owned grocery store in many ways but most importantly, you, the community members own it. Right now, we need community donations to create the funds whereby banks and other lending institutions will finance us with construction loans.  As we near the season of giving, please consider donating to Kennett Community Grocer. Invest in future of your community! DONATE NOW TO BUILD A BETTER GROCER

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