Community, Popsicles and Gratitude 🌟

Summer is making its way in— and here at Co-op Cincy we are full of gratitude and popsicles after an amazing Co-op Fest!

To all who were able to attend— Thank you for joining us this past Saturday at Co-op Fest! It was a truly beautiful day filled with warmth, community, and connection.

Held at the stunning Our Harvest farm, we were gifted with perfect weather, as the sun gently peeked through the trees. The atmosphere was vibrant, with many of our co-ops setting up booths to engage with visitors and share the unique stories of their cooperative efforts.

Our Summer Intern, Ian, enjoying the Honeychild Popsicles. Ben Nava of our newest co-op, Old Growth, Co-op Cincy Staff

Topia delighted us all with their delectable iced coffee, while our newest co-op, Old Growth, added excitement with a raffle featuring beautiful summertime foliage. The salad bar, stocked with the freshest greens from Our Harvest Farm, was a hit, offering a taste of the farm's bounty. Honeychild Popsicles were a crowd favorite, and they were happily devoured by the end of the event.

Most importantly, Co-op Fest ignited the warmth of community among all who participated. Your presence and enthusiasm made the day unforgettable.

We are deeply grateful for your support and look forward to many more moments of shared joy and collaboration.

Phil Armadon, Old Growth Co-op, Business Developer Paloma Correa

National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda: Recap

Special Projects Manager, Phil Waller and Office Manager, Victoria Russel attended the National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda this past weekend.

Phil participated in a talk—  "Empowering Returning Citizens for Successful Reintegration," discussing strategies to support individuals transitioning from incarceration and addressing the intersectionality of racism and exploitation through cooperative economics.

Both returned feeling inspired. “This reignites how important it is to show up in Black spaces and participate with a like-minded and motivated community,” said Phil.

“It gives me a reason to feel hope among all the other reasons to feel hopeless,” said Phil after reflecting on all of the insights gained from the weekend. He also happened upon an inspiring song upon his return to Cincinnati, Lauren Hill’s “Everything is Everything” remind us that change is ever possible.

Everything is everything

What is meant to be will be

Understand that everything is everything

After winter must come spring

Change, it comes eventually

Two Visits in May! Detroit Community Wealth Fund and Momentus Capital

Members of CEND (the Cooperative Economic Network of Detroit) along with reps of Detroit Community Wealth Fund came for a visit last month and we couldn’t have been happier to connect with them and give them a coop tour.

“We could not be more grateful for the connections, pro tips, and good times we had with (Co-op Cincy),” said the Detroit Community Wealth Fund.

Welcome Ian! Our New Summer Intern

Ian McIlvain is a rising Junior at Xavier University studying art with a double minor in Arts Administration as well as Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He is an avid lover of art and currently serves as President of Art Society at Xavier University. In addition to art, he enjoys spending time outside, listening to Taylor Swift, and going on adventures around town. This summer he is helping to work on marketing and communications at Co-op Cincy and is assisting in administrative tasks as needed. His hard work, compassion, and willingness to learn have already aided Co-op Cincy and will continue throughout the summer while he is with us. 

Exciting News from Our Co-ops!

  • We’re thrilled to share that Sustainergy has received an expansion loan from Seed Commons! This funding celebrates their startup success and will help them purchase a warehouse, invest in a new vehicle, and establish a line of credit. Learn more about their mission here.

  • Shine has secured a pre-development loan to double their capacity by building new classrooms on their property, enabling them to extend their valuable childcare services. 

  • Topia has been granted a startup loan to buy equipment and start selling their coffee at events. We can't wait to see them in action! Check out Topia here.

  • We are excited to announce that Queen City Commons has a brand new truck! This addition marks a significant step forward for their range in services.

Our “Works For All” Fundraising Goal is So Close!

🎉 A Heartfelt Thank You! 🎉

We are beyond thrilled to announce that thanks to your incredible support and generosity at Co-op Fest, we are only $1,414 away from reaching our fundraising goal! 🙌

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who donated and attended our Co-op Fest. Your participation and contributions have brought us so close to the finish line.

Let’s come together one last time to hit our target! Every donation counts. Help us cross the finish line and achieve our goal!

Join Co-op U: Applications Open Until July 19!

Co-op U is a 14-week training and support program designed to help teams develop a worker-owned business. Participants benefit from weekly virtual trainings, 1-on-1 mentorship, hands-on professional training, and assistance with business incorporation and financing. Sessions are held Wednesdays from 6-8 PM EST, with additional weekly commitments of 2-5 hours.

Ideal for teams of at least 2 people with a business idea. Apply now and turn your vision into reality!

Co-op Cincy hosts Roots and Remedies Conference

Co-op Cincy is proud to be one of the hosting committees with The Praxis Project for the Roots and Remedies conference this year— the theme for 2024 is home, heart and hope. The theme explores transformation and finding solutions in these challenging times though transformative community organizing. Check out Roots and Remedies this summer— July 12- 14.

Business Legacy Fund Partners with Goering Center

On June 4th, Business Legacy Fund was thrilled to partner with The Goering Center for an informative luncheon diving into business succession strategies, spotlighting Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and Worker Owned Cooperatives. Attendees had the opportunity to learn from these passionate leaders driving economic transformation: featuring Tim Rettig, Founder/CEO of Intrust IT, who is dedicated to creating 10,000 employee-owners through ESOP successions; Ellen Vera, Co-Director of Co-op Cincy and Flequer Vera, CEO of Sustainergy Cooperative, who advises on worker-owned ventures and champions community-driven initiatives.

Cincinnati Cleaning Cooperative is hiring a new general manager! Click here for more details. Applications are open until June 28.

Upcoming Events

Movement News

Sign up for our newsletter

Co-op Cincy on Instagram