Backyard benefits of local co-op
Updated: July 25, 2012
URBANA -- A local food co-op is working hard to support local businesses. It's happening in Our Town Urbana. WCIA-3's Megan Brilley is shopping at the Common Ground Food Co-op.
"If there weren't stores out in the front saying, 'it's important to support local, it's important to know where our food's from and be transparent about that,' it wouldn't be happening at all."
Jacqueline Hannah originally moved to Urbana to help a friend relocate his business, then fell in love with the city.
"I've had friends here say, 'I'm going to throw a play, or start a community grocery store.' Things really happen in Urbana. If you want to make things happen, you do."
Hannah decided to make her life happen too. She's now the general manager of the Common Ground Food Co-op, helping her community thrive in the rough economy.
"We start to really understand the value of owning it ourselves, creating great jobs in our community and making sure our profits aren't leaving our community- but instead enriching local farms and creating good local jobs."
3,700 people own a piece of the co-op and 20% of these foods come from local farms, making it one very important piece of Urbana.
"When we keep our money local in our local economy we control the destiny of our community. We enrich our community, we create great jobs, we create culture diversity- that makes it a place that people want to live."
You can find whole milk straight from the Kilgus Family Farm, ground beef, fruits and vegetables when you stroll through the co-op.
"I live in a food desert."
Grace Harshbarger makes trips to Urbana all the time to support local farmers in Central Illinois.
"About 95% of the food that we eat in the state of Illinois, comes from elsewhere."
It's something Harshbarger says is completely backwards, and is happy to see people like Hannah stepping up to support a local community.
"I think that I've helped to empower the community to know that it can make things happen if it wants to and if I'm a small part of that I'm really proud of that."
Construction is underway to triple the size of the building. It will be completed in October.
"If there weren't stores out in the front saying, 'it's important to support local, it's important to know where our food's from and be transparent about that,' it wouldn't be happening at all."
Jacqueline Hannah originally moved to Urbana to help a friend relocate his business, then fell in love with the city.
"I've had friends here say, 'I'm going to throw a play, or start a community grocery store.' Things really happen in Urbana. If you want to make things happen, you do."
Hannah decided to make her life happen too. She's now the general manager of the Common Ground Food Co-op, helping her community thrive in the rough economy.
"We start to really understand the value of owning it ourselves, creating great jobs in our community and making sure our profits aren't leaving our community- but instead enriching local farms and creating good local jobs."
3,700 people own a piece of the co-op and 20% of these foods come from local farms, making it one very important piece of Urbana.
"When we keep our money local in our local economy we control the destiny of our community. We enrich our community, we create great jobs, we create culture diversity- that makes it a place that people want to live."
You can find whole milk straight from the Kilgus Family Farm, ground beef, fruits and vegetables when you stroll through the co-op.
"I live in a food desert."
Grace Harshbarger makes trips to Urbana all the time to support local farmers in Central Illinois.
"About 95% of the food that we eat in the state of Illinois, comes from elsewhere."
It's something Harshbarger says is completely backwards, and is happy to see people like Hannah stepping up to support a local community.
"I think that I've helped to empower the community to know that it can make things happen if it wants to and if I'm a small part of that I'm really proud of that."
Construction is underway to triple the size of the building. It will be completed in October.
