West Michigan Co-Op provides fresh, local food year-round

As the farmers markets begin to close during the winter months, you may think that the options are slim for getting fresh, local produce. Enter West Michigan's Online Cooperative: an online farmers market created to serve the nutritional needs of the greater Grand Rapids area. 

 

Danielle Cenci, VP of the Board of Directors, is one of more than 1,000 volunteers that make up this organization. She is enthusiastic about the mission of the group, which is to support local farmers and producers and provide sustainable food sources for West Michigan. 

 

The West Michigan Co-Op's online shop consists of close to 50 active sellers offering around 1,250 products. You can check off most items on your grocery list, as well as purchase some other non-edible goods such as candles, clothes, pet products, and even personal toiletry items. 

 

To order, you must first become a member. An affordable annual fee of $35 opens up the entire market to you in a convenient online database. Because this is a volunteer-based organization, members are also asked to donate some of their time helping with product pick-up. 

 

West Michigan Co-Op offers a window of ordering farm-fresh products on their website beginning the first Saturday of the month and ending the following Friday. Giving the businesses time to collect the requests, a pick-up date happens on the third Wednesday of the month at Media Rare, a business owned by Co-Founder Jerry Adams. 

 

"Members receive an invoice of what they ordered online when they walk in," Cenci says. "Farmers and producers set up tables and usually have some extra products available."

 

Cenci points out that the types of members are diverse; however, "Most of our members are families. A recent survey shows that a majority of them come from East Grand Rapids and Eastown." 

 

Keeping the benefits of this project in West Michigan, the vendors are all located within a 50-mile radius of Grand Rapids. Farmers and producers pay the same $35 membership fee, but must first go through an application process that is reviewed by a committee to ensure the products and missions meet the Co-Op's guidelines.

 

Ever expanding, West Michigan Co-Op is looking for new members and volunteers to support upcoming educational events and to assist with product pick-up. There are several ways to get involved and keep connected with this valuable virtual marketplace:
 

- Visit West Michigan Co-Op online to join as a member, apply as a farmer or producer, or to stay 

updated about upcoming events. 

- Volunteer your time during pick-up days at Media Rare (1111 Godfrey Ave SW, Grand Rapids).

- Like them on Facebook.

 

Source: Danielle Cenci, Vice President of the Board of Directors of West Michigan Cooperative. 

Writer: Eirann Betka, Do Good Contributor