We gained 8 new members this week bringing our total to 84. This
is really great, and we will need to continue to gain new members to
reach our goal of 300 by May 1. (more…)

The Univesal project was described by James Gill today in The Time Picayune, and although much of the article focused on the off-topic issues for us, there were a couple of excellent highlights.

(more…)

We had a wonderful potluck dinner yesterday at the First
Pilgrims Baptist Church in the St. Roch neighborhood. About 40 people
attended and shared a great dinner. We gained 6 new members at this
meeting and folks are really getting excited about owning their own
co-op grocery. Our membership committee plans to continue having
potluck dinners in rotating neighborhoods near our future store.
February’s potluck will be in the Bywater, and we are considering the
Treme for our March potluck. When we know the dates and locations they
will be sent out as part of the weekly announcement. I envision our
potlucks getting bigger and bigger each month!!

The January 12th issue of the Renaissance Project’s Downtown Neighborhood Market Consortium newsletter contains a statement of support for our efforts to open a storefront at St. Roch and St. Claude.

Healthy Affordable Groceries for Everyone

We support the efforts of New Orleans Food Community, Inc. to open a food cooperative in the Universal Furniture building in 2009. The food co-op will sell local produce, local seafood, bulk and packaged natural foods, and whatever else the membership asks for. The New Orleans Food Community currently operates a monthly buying club through which allows members to order on-line from a natural foods wholesaler in Arkansas who brings the food to New Orleans. One-time membership fees are on a sliding scale ranging between $25-$100. To learn more about the food co-op attend their potluck dinner on Monday, January 14, 2008, at 6:30 p.m., at First Pilgrims Baptist Church at 1228 Arts Street (near the corner of Franklin and Marais).

from downtown neighborhood market consortium newsletter, Jan 12, 2008

Thanks for the support you guys! Check out the newsletter for regular information about what is featured at the Upper Ninth Ward Farmer’s market every Saturday from 1 to 4pm at the Holy Angel’s parking lot at 3500 St. Claude Avenue.

We are having our first potluck dinner of the new year next Monday, Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Roch neighborhood at the <a href=”http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;time=&amp;date=&amp;ttype=&amp;q=1228+Arts.+new+orleans+la&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=30.599615,63.369141&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=29.971963,-90.049975&amp;spn=0.00816,0.015471&amp;z=16&amp;iwloc=addr&amp;om=1″ title=”Map of 1228 Arts St.”>First Pilgrim Baptist Church at 1228 Arts (half a block from the corner of Franklin and Marais)</a>. As always our potluck dinners are open to anyone and everyone. Friends, family, adn children of all ages are welcome. This is a very important community event and we encourage everyone to attend. It is very essential that our current members and others who have been involved with the co-op attend to help welcome new faces to our food co-op.