It will always be our priority to strengthen connection by reiterating our mission statement to the whole community. We are dedicated to sharing our vision and we’re eager to make it happen!

CO-OP PRINCIPLE #6: Cooperation Among Co-ops

The timing of this principle could not align better as our new board will be participating in Food Co-op Initiative’s “FCI Live!” later in March. FCI is partnering with communities across the country to support and guide them as they develop and open thriving co-op grocery stores. This two-week long event is designed for food co-ops to learn best practices for starting, organizing and opening retail grocery stores that are community-owned. Fun fact, our Board Treasurer, Michael Pardon, works for a financial cooperative and his experience and insight will be a valuable partnership applying the same principles to our food co-op.

Learn more about the Cooperative Principles HERE.

MARCH Awareness

March, is a dynamic month for sports fans, offering a variety of events across multiple disciplines. From the excitement of college basketball in March Madness to the high-speed thrills of Formula 1 and the ongoing NBA and NHL seasons, there is something for every sports enthusiast to enjoy. Holidays in March include St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17th, which honors Irish culture with parades, music, and festive gatherings. Additionally, March is recognized for several social awareness campaigns, such as those listed below. Together, these events make March a month filled with excitement, celebration, and meaningful reflection.

March Social Awareness:
Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (Mar 8)
National Nutrition Month
Employee Appreciation Day (Mar 6)
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Gender Equality Month and Transgender Day of Visibility (Mar 31)

* To improve your luck in gaining access to local food producers and makers, that also creates an economically sustainable community, the Long Beach Grocery Co-op recommends purchasing or gifting an Owner Share. Own what feeds you!
PURCHASE AN OWNER SHARE & GIFT AN OWNER SHARE

OWNER SPOTLIGHT: Corinne O’Connor BSN-RN, PHN

Corinne O’Connor, BSN-RN, PHN, is a born & raised Long Beach resident with a Registered Nurse and Public Health Nurse background. She is one of our newer owner/members and has stepped forward to volunteer and collaborate with LBGCo-op, Public Works, and other organizations that are community based with similar missions. With her working experience as a nurse, she can bring preventative Health solutions to the table and educate on the importance of sustainability, environmental health, and wellbeing centered with community developments like the Long Beach Grocery Co-op.  Bringing people together in a healthy productive way can have lasting outcomes for the health and lives of our residents.

She is actively in communication with the City of Long Beach and Public Works on organized neighborhood Clean Team events. On March 21st there will be a street cleaning event for Rose Park on 10th Street from Redondo to Cherry. More details about this event will be posted in our volunteer app “Band”. Show your community support and sign up once it is posted.

Corinne has also introduced us to TerraCycle, and Ridwell, a solution to recycle all of your plastic waste that goes to trusted partners to become a useful new product. Imagine a company that will keep forever plastics out of landfills and instead, pass that material on to a partner that will turn it into plastic grocery carts for the store! LBGC will be working with Corinne to make this a fundraising opportunity in the near future to help us reach our capital campaign goals.

Long Beach Grocery Co-op is committed to supporting and uplifting our community and that includes showcasing our owners that own a business. Each month we will put the spotlight on you! If you are a LBGCo-op Owner and would love to promote your business, email us at info@longbeachgrocery.coop and tell us about yourself, your business, what you offer, and we will give you a great write-up.

VOLUNTEER MEETING - 2nd Saturdays

Making it easier to stay connected and getting volunteer information out faster and in a central place is a goal that has been reached! Download the APP “BAND” and connect with the Long Beach Grocery Co-op.

All are WELCOME to join us from Noon to 1PM the second Saturday of each month at Long Beach Forward. February meeting is on the 14th; show your love for your LBGCo-op and get your T-Shirt at a sale price.

Long Beach Forward is located at:
2217 E 6th St, Long Beach, CA 90814, USA
Parking is available at the corner of Dawson and 7th Street - please be sure to request a free parking pass & please do not park in spaces 1 thru 6.

Let’s plan our activities and staffing for:

• Working the info table at farmers markets

• Neighborhood canvassing to inform the community about the Co-op

• Performing a presentation at Neighborhood Association meetings

• Identifying and coordinating participation in community events

• Grant writing

• Marketing, Social Media, Newsletter writing

• Data Entry, Record Keeping, Research, Organizing

March is an ideal time to plant a mix of cool-season vegetables, warm-season seedlings, and herbs for a productive spring and summer garden. These include: Lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, turnips, and beets. For your herbs, plant basil, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary.

Food Holidays in March:
March 1: Beer Day
March 1: Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
March 4: Pound Cake Day
March 7: Cereal Day
March 9: Crabmeat Day
March 9: Meatball Day
March 12: Baked Scallops Day
March 14: Potato Chip Day
March 16: Artichoke Hearts Day
March 19: Poultry Day
March 20: Ravioli Day
March 21: French Bread Day
March 25: International Waffle Day
March 26: Spinach Day
March 27: Spanish Paella Day
March31: Tater Day

RECIPE: 7 Lay-up Dip (a win for your March Madness party)
Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) can refried beans

• 2 1/2 cups sour cream

• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning 

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• 2 1/2 cups guacamole

• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

• 1 (16-oz.) jar chunky tomato salsa

• 2 cups shredded lettuce

• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes

• 1/4 cup sliced black olives

• Corn chips, for serving

Directions:

Step 1 Spread refried beans in an even layer in the bottom of your serving dish.
Step 2 In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, taco seasoning, and lime juice. Spread in an even layer on top of the refried beans. 
Step 3 If making from scratch, prepare guacamole and spread in an even layer on top of the sour cream layer. 
Step 4 Sprinkle Monterey Jack and cheddar in an even layer over the guacamole.
Step 5 Top with a layer of salsa.
Step 6 Finally add the shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives.
Step 7 Service with corn chips.