Committees (and other groups formed under the auspices of Weavers Way) are vehicles by which members contribute to the evolution of the Co-op every day. Committees promote public dialog and education, plan and lead workshops, organize panel discussions and other events, serve as pools of expertise, and stand by as informal consultants. They contribute regularly to our monthly newspaper, The Shuttle. They also represent the Co-op at community events and act as liaisons to our many community partners.
Any member can join an existing Weavers Way committee, club, or community group, or propose a new one. Committee members earn working member credit for participating in monthly meetings and/or special projects for a minimum of six consecutive months. The commitment of time generally translates into one to three hours per month.
Weavers Way Bylaws, Article VII, states that committees “are formed to provide members with a way to participate actively and meaningfully in the life and mission of the Co-op, and are vital to the Co-op and its community.” Committees form important bridges between Weavers Way staff, the Board of Directors, membership-at-large, and the neighborhoods we serve.
Check the Weavers Way events calendar for meeting dates and times, or contact the Membership Department for assistance. Committee chairs have mailboxes on the second floor of 559 Carpenter Lane in Mt. Airy.
Jump to a Committee:
- Environment Committee
- Farm Committee
- Finance Committee
- Food Justice Committee
- Leadership Committee
- Membership Committee
- New Economy Incubator Committee
- The Northwest Coalition for Healthy Aging
- Philadelphia Backyard Chickens
- Plastic Reduction Task Force
- Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee
- NEW! Weavers Way Vegan Meet-Up Group
- Weavers Way Wellness Team
Environment Committee
The Environment Committee is now accepting proposals for grants.
Click here to learn more.
The Environment Committee researches environmental concerns and informs the Co-op and its members about current environmental issues. This committee develops green projects locally, monitors store-related environmental concerns and makes recommendations.
- Committee Chair: Sandy Folzer - environment@weaversway.coop
- Staff Liaison: Steve Hebden - steve@weaversway.coop
Regular meeting times: Second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m., Community Room, 555 Carpenter Lane.
Farm Committee
The Farm Committee lends critical support to our two farms. This committee provides extra help directly to our farm manager, Nina Berryman, and her hard-working staff, and also helps organize special events and volunteers at the farms.
- Committee Chair and Staff Liaison: Nina Berryman - nberryman@weaversway.coop
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee advises the board and staff about issues related to Co-op finances.
- Committee Chair: Chris Hill - tchrishill@gmail.com
Regular meeting times: Third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m., Community Room, 555 Carpenter Lane.
Food Justice Committee
The Food Justice Committee works to alleviate hunger and advocates for fair food-production and food-distribution systems. This group studies how food insecurity directly affects our neighborhoods and examines ways to promote equal access to whole, natural foods. Email: foodjustice@weaversway.coop, or visit the Weavers Way Food Justice Committee page.
- Chair: Sarah Mitteldorf
- Administrator: Seth Lerman
- Education Coordinator: Suzanna Urminska
- Co-op Outreach Coordinator: Julie Martini
Regular meeting times: First Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m., location TBA.
Leadership Committee
The Leadership Committee identifies and encourages members to serve on the committees and the Board of Directors, and manages Board elections.
- Committee Chair: Designated Board member
- Staff Liaison: David Chaplin-Loebell - davidcl@weaversway.coop
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee provides support for the Membership Department in monitoring, maintaining and promoting our working member program, planning and executing General Membership Meetings, and other member engagement projects and programs.
- Committee Chair and Staff Liaison: Kirsten Bernal - member@weaversway.coop
New Economy Incubator Committee
The New Economy Incubator Committee will research, imagine, identify and incubate models for locally based, co-designed, cooperative and collaborative development in Germantown and other parts of Northwest Philadelphia. We hold out a vision of shared enterprise that can catalyze communities as community members take their economies into their own hands.
Objectives for the committee in the coming year:
- To launch FLAG, Free Loan Association for Germantown — writing its bylaws, selecting a Board, becoming a 501 (c)(3) organization, presenting the project to members of Weavers Way, soliciting donations for its revolving loan fund.
- To review and prioritize already-identified project possibilities, and to solicit input for new incubator projects, prioritizing those based in Northwest Philadelphia, especially Germantown.
- Chairperson: Lynne Brown - lynneebrown@verizon.net
- Founding Members: Chris Hill, Herb Levine, Peter Winslow, Susan Christian, Andy Trackman
Regular meeting times: Third Friday of the month at 9 a.m., Community Room, 555 Carpenter Lane.
The Northwest Coalition for Healthy Aging
The Northwest Coalition for Healthy Aging is a partnership between Weavers Way Co-op, Mt. Airy CDC, Northwest Village Network, Ralston My Way, UU House Outreach Program, and Center in the Park, among others. The Coalition serves as a grassroots support system that promotes aging in place and gives voice to quality-of-life concerns for seniors in neighborhoods throughout Northwest Philadelphia. The Coalition provides educational programs and other resources to help local seniors stay engaged in their communities while living independently.
- Coalition Chair: Kim Massare - kmassare@mtairycdc.org
- Staff Liaison: Bettina de Caumette - outreach@weaversway.coop
Philadelphia Backyard Chickens
Philadelphia Backyard Chickens acts as a resource for members who are interested in raising and keeping chickens. Members share experience and information, advocating for the legalization of raising and keeping backyard chickens in Philadelphia. For more info, visit the Philadelphia Backyard Chickens Facebook page.
- Lead Organizer: Maureen Breen
- Staff Liaison: Anton Goldschneider - petstore@weaversway.coop
Plastic Reduction Task Force
Formed in the spring of 2018, the PRTF is a sub-committee of the Weavers Way Environment Committee. The Task Force investigates waste issues associated with the full life cycle of plastics, raises awareness about the effects of unregulated plastic production and advises the Co-op on ways to reduce single-use plastics in our operations.
- Chair: Alisa Shargorodsky
- Staff Liaison: Bettina de Caumette
Contact the PRTF at prtf@weaversway.coop.
Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee
The Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee seeks to expand racial diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of Weavers Way Co-op, including the Board, management, staff, members, customers, and vendors. We do this by modeling racial awareness ourselves, assisting in gathering data to guide decision-making, supporting the creation of a Racial DEI Plan with measurable outcomes, and holding Weavers Way accountable for continuing to cultivate a racially diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
- Co-chairs: Roz Dutton, Rosa Lewis - DEI@weaversway.coop
- Staff Liaisons: Candy Bermea-Hassan (Administration), Stephanie Johnson (Mt. Airy), Gerald Moore (Chestnut Hill), Jaxson Arnold (Ambler)
NEW! Weavers Way Vegan Meet-Up Group
Meet fellow vegans near you! Share delicious meals, swap your favorite vegan recipes, and make new friends! The purpose of this group is to provide a network of vegetarians/vegans for social dining, peaceful education about veganism, and an opportunity to meet with other like-minded neighbors. We strive to keep all events zero-waste. All are welcome, from the veg to veg-curious.
- Staff Liaison: Jeannine Kienzle - jeannine@weaversway.coop
Regular meeting times: Every second Tuesday of the month, from 6:30-8 p.m. Locations and events may vary.
Weavers Way Wellness Team
We recently consolidated all of our health and wellness programming under one comprehensive umbrella: Our Neighborhood Nutrition Team is merging with the Health & Wellness Committee to become the new Weavers Way Wellness Team, a single body of more than 16 wellness workshop leaders representing a wealth of experience. Together, they offer opportunities to learn about cooking and nutrition while also delving into whole-body wellness themes, fitness practices, and complementary approaches to well-being. The team references a wide spectrum of schools, tools, and techniques, offering hands-on, practical learning and inspiration.