05/30/22
Co-op members and shoppers –
If you’re reading this email I imagine you’ve spent days and nights over recent months drowning in despair, hopelessness, anger and fear. I know I have. A white supremacist, armed with weapons meant for war, targeted and murdered Black elders in a grocery store. Students and teachers mercilessly killed in Uvalde. Fundamental rights to abortion and decisions of bodily autonomy for women are under attack. Bills meant to dehumanize and harm Queer and Transgender communities have been passed by state legislatures across the country. Congress has still taken no meaningful action on our climate emergency. War still rages in Europe.
Like all of you, I’m looking for places to channel that despair and anger.
The staff and Board of the Co-op have decided to use our resources to try to inspire collective action. On June 2nd, 3rd and 4th TPSS Co-op will give away $15 gift cards to the store in exchange for one hour of your time. We are asking that all recipients use that hour advocating for or creating meaningful change.
We’re calling this program Time For Change. Volunteer for an organization helping to protect fundamental rights that are under threat. Make phone calls or write letters to elected officials. Mentor someone, tutor someone. Take part in something that feels personally meaningful to you. We’ll be asking participants to follow up with TPSS and tell us how they spent that hour.
We hope to collectively generate 2000 hours of community activism. A tent located outside the store on June 2nd, 3rd and 4th from 12pm-7pm each day will have information for you to sign up and receive your gift card. We’ll have materials from partner organizations and ways to connect to those folks who can benefit from your time and talents.
People who do litter cleanups in parks and streams are almost never the people that threw the trash on the ground. But they understand the negative impacts and work to help correct it. We’re calling on the community of this cooperative to help clean up a mess that someone else has left for us. It’s our responsibility because we understand the harm and impacts of allowing these various policies to continue unchecked.
Individually we can make a difference. Collectively our impact can be tremendous.
Mike Houston
General Manager