Posted in Blog on Nov 17th, 2009
The entire country seems to be having a deer in headlights moment: stunned with fear. With our social fabric rent to shreds, if there ever was a time for a new model, this is it. Cooperative community diners pose an elegant solution that may solve myriad problems on many levels. The diners of my youth [...]
Posted in Blog on Nov 16th, 2009
On a a splendid fall Saturday afternoon, a young man stood outside a convenience store with three children ranging in height from 2 feet to 3 feet. As they dug into their candy, the little girl dropped her wrapper on the ground. I took a deep breath and approached the father suggesting that this was [...]
Posted in Blog on Aug 19th, 2009
The Republican Right rarely bestows gifts. They were invited to the table but, resisting any proposal so far, it looks like the Obama administration may just blaze a new trail. Let’s hope so. Their staunch refusal of the public option to reform health care gave way to consideration of cooperatives as a potential solution. Research [...]
Posted in Blog on May 21st, 2009
The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives recently completed the first phase of research to evaluate the economic impact of cooperatives. The findings: cooperatives account for approximately $654 billion in revenue, over 2 million jobs, $75 billion in wages and benefits paid and $133.5 billion in value-added income. Because cooperatives are member owned, managed and [...]
Posted in Blog on May 11th, 2009
Cooperatives meet the pressing problems we face today in a way that the private and non-profit sectors don’t. The University of Wisconsin’s Center for Cooperatives‘ Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives revealed startling conclusions: 30,000 cooperatives operate 73,000 places of business throughout the United States Cooperatives own over $3 trillion in assets Cooperatives account [...]
Posted in Blog on May 10th, 2009
You should have been there. Wednesday’s morning news reported that when schools close for the swine flu, some children miss out on their only meal of the day. The story put me closer to the edge than I realized. The weepy spell in the car on the way into work wasn’t enough. I wish I [...]
Posted in Blog, Conversations on Jan 17th, 2009
Friendly, affordable cooperative diners would anchor a neighborhood by providing a safe, sociable gathering place to get to know your neighbors, share ideas and resources.
Posted in Blog on Jan 6th, 2009
I am as nervous as you are. No one has a clue how this will play out. The feeling of not knowing if the rug will be pulled out from under me catches my breath. Now, more than ever, we need to create our own solutions. I have many ideas with the potential to improve [...]