Newsletter: September 2025

The Mushroom Messenger KCG Monthly Newsletter: September 2025 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: Name revealed for our new Nonprofit Membership: Help us reach the Founding 500 KCG in the News: Did you catch us in the Daily Local? Special Feature: Chester County Farm Guide & “Find a Farmer” map What's the Board Been Up To? On August 18, the newly elected KCG Board members convened with our continuing directors for the first meeting of the fiscal year. It’s an exciting, hardworking group ready to roll up their sleeves and make our store happen! Some key developments were discussed, and we hope to have more to share with you on that very soon. We’re also thrilled to share a major milestone: our 501(c)(3) nonprofit has now been officially created. The new organization, called Friends of Kennett Food Co-op, will support KCG’s capital fundraising efforts and make it possible for us to accept tax-deductible donations to help fund our future store. This is a huge step forward in turning our vision into reality, and we’re grateful to the leaders who have stepped up to guide both boards in this work. Another exciting moment on the horizon: we’re preparing for our Farmer & Producer Information Night on Tuesday, September 23. We’ve invited more than 100 local farmers and food producers to learn about our store model and explore how we can work together to bring their products directly to our community. This gathering is a big step toward building the strong local partnerships that will power our co-op. Here are a few highlights from our volunteer teams: Events Team has kicked off planning for our second annual Chili Cook-off fundraiser 🌶️ that will take place in March 2026 at Loch Nairn Farm. This event will be even bigger and better, with plenty of community fun, food, and festivities to look forward to. Stay tuned for more details as the event comes together! Store & Property Team continues to work diligently on pursuing a site for our physical location. Each meeting with leasing agents and potential landlords brings us closer to opening our community-owned store. Communications Team is preparing for the launch of our capital campaign. Remember: We’re always looking for more helping hands—especially in social media, event planning, and capital campaign support! If you’d like to get involved, please fill out our volunteer interest form. Your energy and skills make a difference! VOLUNTEER TODAY And don't forget: Member-Owners are welcome to attend our monthly public Board meetings. Join us at the next one on Monday, September 8 at 7:00 PM at the Kennett Senior Center. Membership Ever-growing We’re just 23 members away from hitting our Founding 500 milestone! Let’s reach 500 before the end of December. As of today, we have 477 Member-Owners—a strong, growing community that believes in supporting local farmers, investing in a stronger food system, and building a store we can all be proud of. When you join now, your name will be added to our Founding 500 Wall Mural in the future store—a lasting tribute to the early members who helped make this vision a reality. Already a Member-Owner? You can help us grow by inviting a neighbor or friend to join! BECOME A MEMBER-OWNER TODAY KCG in the News We’re thrilled to share that KCG was recently featured in the Daily Local News! The article highlights our progress, including leadership updates, our new nonprofit, and the steps we’re taking to open a store by 2026. A key takeaway: “We will have locally sourced fresh produce; transparency about how food was produced; specialty products from small-scale producers; and as a top priority, a way to support local farmers and artisans.” — Edie Burkey 📰 Read the full article here: Kennett Community Grocer moves toward actualizing a dream SPECIAL FEATURE: CELEBRATING LOCAL FARMS Earlier this year, Chester County released the 2025 Farm Guide and interactive Find a Farmer Map, featuring more than 125 family-owned farms, markets, and producers across our county. From produce and meat to dairy, flowers, cideries, and even Christmas trees, the guide showcases the breadth of agriculture in our community. Why does this matter to KCG? Because these are the very farmers and producers who will one day fill the shelves of our store. We’re proud to be building a marketplace that supports Chester County agriculture and makes it easier for neighbors to enjoy the bounty grown right here. 👨‍🌾 Explore the PDF guide and interactive map here. JOIN THE COMMUNITY! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and now LinkedIn!