Did you know Legos make great financial
building blocks? I didn’t. I also didn’t know the first food cooperative opened
in 1844. Thanks to the Cooperative Board Leadership Program 101, I am now
equipped to serve you, members of the Three Rivers Market, as a newly elected
director on the board.

Cooperative Board Leadership Development
(CBLD) is an innovative program of the CDS Consulting Co-op and designed
specifically for members of cooperative boards that focuses on four pillars of
cooperative governance: Teaming, Accountable Empowerment, Strategic Leadership,
and Democracy.

Saturday, January 5, 2019, I joined three
of my fellow board members and Jacqueline Arthur, the general manager of Three
Rivers, for a one-day training hosted by the French Broad Co-op in Asheville,
North Carolina. Throughout the day, we learned what it takes to be an engaged
and effective member of a food cooperative.

The day kicked off with an overview of the
history, values, … Read More »

Nourishing Change is Three Rivers Market’s monthly donation program through which we accept donations at our registers on behalf of a selected organization or project. Since the program’s start in April 2012, we’ve raised over $381,583.82 for 81 organizations.

Throughout February, our amazing customers rounded up their change at the register for the Shora Foundation​, raising $6,388.78 for this organization. Your donations will provide healthy food options for children and go toward developing a community garden in East Knoxville and providing weekly backpack meals.

During March, you can donate change for the Humane Society of East Tennessee​. Your change will help to find homes for abandoned animals. Donations aid the operation of a no-kill shelter, vaccinations & spay/neuter support.

It’s seed starting time in East Tennessee!!!

Whether you are
just starting out as a garden newbie or you are a certified, seasoned,
two-green-thumb pro, Three Rivers Market has exceptional organic and
heirloom seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

Check out the UT Institute of Agriculture 2019 Tennessee Home Vegetable Garden Calendar to get frost dates, seeds start times, and general gardening tips and tricks. https://extension.tennessee.edu/publicat…/Documents/W436.pdf

Three Rivers Market held our first Guacamole Bowl this past weekend.
We challenged our Produce and Deli departments to put their guacamole
head-to-head to see which was the customer’s favorite. Customers sampled
Deli’s Guacamole Dip and Produce’s Fiesta Guacamole and customers voted
by purchasing their favorite.

Co-op customers purchased over
100 lbs of guacamole this past weekend and the winning title belongs to
the DELI’S GUACAMOLE DIP! Whichever one was your favorite, you can find
both in the store for purchase in our grab-and-go cooler or in the
produce department.

As
we enter the second week of February don’t forget to round up your
change at the registers for this month’s Nourishing Change organization,
the Shora Foundation.
Throughout February, your donations will provide healthy food options
for children in East Knoxville. Our goal is for donations to support a
community garden and supply weekly backpack meals.

Last month our customers donated $6,457.31 for Smokey’s Pantry: A FISH Hospitality Pantry at UTK! These donations will help provide food to the hungry in UT’s campus community. Thank you for your continued generosity!