Spring is a time for new growth after the dormancy of winter. Such was the collective expectation of TRM’s Board of Directors at this year’s spring retreat. The retreat was a two-part series with the first portion being a remote session facilitated by Thane Joyal of Columinate (a national consulting co-op). The Board hoped to discuss long-term goals and strategic direction for the future of TRM during the retreat. Thane offered gentle guidance on how best to re-work Board Policy #A (Global Ends), which is the Board’s primary tool to communicate to the General Manager what our cooperative wants to achieve.

The second portion of the retreat was in-person and held at Highlander Research and Education Center. During this session, the Board worked diligently to plan the annual agenda for fiscal year 2023-2024. A significant portion of the agenda planning process … Read More »

In June, we will be collecting change for Grandparents as Parents.

JULY 2023 PARTNER: GRANDPARENTS AS PARENTS

Click HERE to find out more about the Nourishing Change Program.

Democracy at Our Co-op

Food co-ops value open-door democracy. For us, it’s a matter of fundamental principles: First, membership is open to all. Second, democratic member-control is the way we govern.

The promise of democratic control is a big deal in a grocery store. Many of us joined Three Rivers Market because we wanted an effective voice in the quality and sources of the food we buy, in the treatment of the employees who serve us, and in the store’s plans for the future – even if it costs a little more. You can’t get that kind of influence as a customer at Kroger!

The main way democracy is practiced at Three Rivers Market is through a representative Board of Directors democratically elected by the membership. There are nine of us, and I’m in the second year of my first term. The General … Read More »

How do we envision the Three Rivers Market, Knoxville’s Community Food Co-op? For some it is their local grocery. For some it is a place they trust to provide the best local produce, their wellness center and favorite lunch spot. For others it is a community hub that provides an outlet for connection and purpose beyond the store walls. Whatever that vision is, we joined because it added some sense of value to us. I began shopping at Three Rivers Market when I was in college in the 90’s in the old house on Broadway and it has always held a special place in my heart as a place I could trust, a place with purpose, and a place that, I felt, could offer a more holistic model for business and community. Now, many years later, I am one of the newest Board Directors and this past week began … Read More »

CALL TO RUN!

This is the time of year when we start calling on our active members to run for seats on the co-op’s Board of Directors.

You are ELIGIBLE to run for one of the three seats opening this year IF:
1. you have been a member of the co-op for a year or more,
2. you are not an employee or supplier of the co-op and have no other financial conflict of interest,
3. you attend a Board meeting in July, August, or September, AND
4. you submit a completed application by 7:00 PM on October 1.

You SHOULD run for the Board if
1. you value our cooperative structure and want to make sure our members are well-represented,
2. you want to learn more about the actual operation of the co-op,
3. you want to have a say about the governing policies of the co-op, AND
4. you … Read More »