Your participation is an important part of getting Prairie Food Co-op open! If you want a locally-owned grocery store that provides greater access to local, sustainable food, supports local farmers and food producers, provides education to help people live healthier lives, offers great jobs, and keeps money in our community, then we need YOU to help make it happen!
We have volunteer opportunities that range from one-time help to longer-term commitment. Please take a moment to look over the volunteer opportunities below and then sign-up to help! We have a quarterly "Volunteer Orientation & Social" so watch your inbox and/or Facebook for the next scheduled one.
- Share Your Story - Words are powerful so why not tell others why Prairie Food Co-op is important to YOU? Write your story yourself or sign-up here to schedule a short interview and have a professional storyteller craft your story for you! It couldn't be easier!
- Hand out brochures to your friends, community groups, etc. Or hang a flyer at your children's school or daycare. Contact us today to have some delivered to you.
In addition to the above one-time volunteer opportunities for specific events, there are several longer-term options for those interested in playing a bigger role in the development of Prairie Food Co-op. The following is a list of committees that meet on an "as needed" basis to help us grow. Please email the contact if you are interested in learning more about joining any of these committees.
The following committees meet on an as-needed basis:
| Committee | Contact | Committee Tasks |
| Ownership & Outreach | O&O Team | Plan and run various PFC events, help promote PFC events in local press, community calendars, and social media, research community events in which the co-op can participate, recommend events to engage and educate the community about the co-op such as "Meet The Co-op" and "Co-op Tours", help organize House Parties. The O&O Team meets bi-monthly on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, locations vary. |
| Grants | Tracey Smith | Research and recommend appropriate grants to help fund various PFC projects, apply for grants, oversee the grant application process and ensure deadlines are met, research & apply for internship opportunities |
| Finance | Tom Lamberty | Create a capitalization plan for the co-op, works with paid consultants to develop a Financial Pro-Forma, help secure financing from traditional and non-traditional sources. |
| Business Development | Tracey Smith | Develop business plan based on feasibility study results and potential store location. Work with local Small Business Development Centers to ensure Business Plan is robust. |
| IT | Kathy Nash | Maintain and update the PFC web site and email systems, apply graphic design techniques to ensure easy navigation and usability, advise the co-op on tech-related decisions and provides ongoing maintenance and as-needed research and/or development of new tools. |
| Business and Civic Outreach | Julie Neubauer | Identify potential partners for co-op business development, work to develop relationships with local civic, business, and government groups to promote and educate about the co-op, attend local organization meetings such as Chamber of Commerce to network with local leadership. |