Co-op Principle #1 - Voluntary Open Membership
Cooperative Principle #1 - Voluntary Open Membership
“Sno-Isle Food Co-op is a voluntary organization, open to all persons willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without discrimination based on race, religion, age, social status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other.”
Welcome to the first post in our new series about the Cooperative Principles. Since the 19th Century, co-ops around the globe have shared the core Seven Cooperative Principles (learn more about the history of the cooperative movement here: Co-ops 101), but in 2012 the Sno-Isle Food Co-op Board of Trustees voted on adding five more for a total of 12 Cooperative Principles. We will be exploring each principle in turn and how we put that principle into practice here at SIFC.
The Co-op is owned by the people, for the people! Since 1997, more than 8,000 Snohomish County families have become owners of the Co-op. As co-op owners, we join a group of our neighbors dedicated to strengthening our community, supporting local farmers and producers, and fostering long-term, sustainable business practices. Ownership in the co-op results in shared profit, policy governance, and savings for the whole family.
At the Co-op, our doors are open to all! Unlike membership-only warehouse stores, one does not have to join the Co-op in order to shop with us and find great deals on high-quality goods. Instead of a yearly membership fee, a lifetime ownership stake in the Co-op is only $100 for your entire household, either as a one-time payment or with our hassle-free monthly payment plan of only $5 until the full amount is reached. Every dollar of your member-ownership can be refunded at any time, whether you are moving out of the area and want to invest in your new local food co-op or for any other reason.