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 VI, 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.” Committees form important bridges between Weavers Way staff, the Board of Directors, membership-at-large, and the neighborhoods we serve.
The following list reflects our current, active committees. If you have thoughts about how you would like to connect with the Co-op beyond our existing committees, please reach out to the Membership Department at member@weaversway.coop.
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. In addition, the committee awards grants to community groups.
The Environment Committee meets the second Wednesday of the month.
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.
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.
The Food Justice Committee meets the second Wednesday of the month.
New Economy Incubator Committee
The New Economy Incubator Committee identifies and develops best practices for the implementation of a local economy within our Northwest community. These best practices assure the equitable delivery of goods and services within our community, with the greatest autonomy, and with the least environmental impact. The committee pursues new applications of the cooperative model to endeavors such as worker owned and operated enterprises and public banking.
During our existence, we have been instrumental in launching a solar energy cooperative, a farmers market at Maplewood Mall, and the Free Loan Association of Germantown (FLAG). Future plans include the creation of a commercial kitchen, as well as facilitating education and discussion about worker-owned co-ops.
The New Economy Incubator Committee meets the third Monday of the month.
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.
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.
Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee
The Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee seeks to expand 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 awareness ourselves, assisting in gathering data to guide decision-making, supporting the creation of a DEI Plan with measurable outcomes, and holding Weavers Way accountable for continuing to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
Organization: Weavers Way Cooperative Association Organization location: Philadelphia, PA Apply by: Tuesday, June 30, 2015 How to apply: Send your resume with a cover letter to the GM Search Committee at GMSearch@weaversway.coop. In your cover letter, please include a short statement explaining why you wish to lead Weavers Way and how your experience and qualities would make you a good staff leader. Include your salary requirements.
Overview of the Position
Weavers Way Food Cooperative seeks a General Manager. We operate four retail locations — two grocery stores, one health-and-wellness store and one health-and-wellness/pet-supply store. Weavers Way was founded in 1973. It is a member-owned business dedicated to the Cooperative Principles, offering healthy and local products, support for our local economy and engagement in our community. We have over $20 million in annual sales, 170 staff members and more than 5,000 member households.
We seek a General Manager with experience and vision who can work successfully with employees, members, our Board of Directors and a wide range of community stakeholders to promote Weavers Way’s success as an essential resource for healthy eating and living in the Philadelphia region. A successful candidate will be someone committed to Cooperative Principles, with significant experience in food retail management, preferably in a cooperative and/or natural food store.
In addition, experience in a highly competitive environment, a multi-store operation and opening a new store or other expansion projects will be prized. Supervisory experience is highly desirable along with the proven ability to build an effective management team. We are looking for someone who can articulate a compelling vision for our future and engage staff, Board and our community in that vision, and who has the experience, skills and patience to take the steps necessary to make that vision a reality. These skills will include strategic planning and budgeting, excellent oral and written communication abilities, the capacity to handle multiple demands, and the talent to motivate and lead others. Prior experience working with a Board or with Policy Governance is also a plus.
Weavers Way is a dynamic, growing co-op that is valued as a community hub and a leader in the local cooperative economy. We have a diversified portfolio that includes a 5-acre urban farm and a nonprofit arm, Weavers Way Community Programs, that conducts programming for children, youth and families.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
About the Area
Weavers Way is located in northwest Philadelphia. Our original store is in Mt. Airy, a community with a storied history of social activism beginning with the effort that resulted in its becoming one of the first neighborhoods in the United States to be successfully racially integrated. It continues today to be a neighborhood that welcomes diversity, openness and inclusiveness. Both Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill, the site of our second grocery store, are known for their beautiful tree-lined streets, varied and attractive housing options and proximity to Fairmount Park, the largest city park in the United States. Chestnut Hill boasts a beautiful, historic commercial district, and the Weavers Way store is central to it. Employees of Weavers Way live both in Philadelphia and the neighboring suburbs.
Resources
Click here for a list of job duties and responsibilities (PDF).
Click here for a list of job qualifications (PDF).
Click here for information about how the General Manager works with the Board at Weavers Way.
Organization: Weavers Way Cooperative Association Organization location: Philadelphia, PA Apply by: Tuesday, June 30, 2015 How to apply: Send your resume with a cover letter to the GM Search Committee at GMSearch@weaversway.coop. In your cover letter, please include a short statement explaining why you wish to lead Weavers Way and how your experience and qualities would make you a good staff leader. Include your salary requirements.
Overview of the Position
Weavers Way Food Cooperative seeks a General Manager. We operate four retail locations — two grocery stores, one health-and-wellness store and one health-and-wellness/pet-supply store. Weavers Way was founded in 1973. It is a member-owned business dedicated to the Cooperative Principles, offering healthy and local products, support for our local economy and engagement in our community. We have over $20 million in annual sales, 170 staff members and more than 5,000 member households.
We seek a General Manager with experience and vision who can work successfully with employees, members, our Board of Directors and a wide range of community stakeholders to promote Weavers Way’s success as an essential resource for healthy eating and living in the Philadelphia region. A successful candidate will be someone committed to Cooperative Principles, with significant experience in food retail management, preferably in a cooperative and/or natural food store.
In addition, experience in a highly competitive environment, a multi-store operation and opening a new store or other expansion projects will be prized. Supervisory experience is highly desirable along with the proven ability to build an effective management team. We are looking for someone who can articulate a compelling vision for our future and engage staff, Board and our community in that vision, and who has the experience, skills and patience to take the steps necessary to make that vision a reality. These skills will include strategic planning and budgeting, excellent oral and written communication abilities, the capacity to handle multiple demands, and the talent to motivate and lead others. Prior experience working with a Board or with Policy Governance is also a plus.
Weavers Way is a dynamic, growing co-op that is valued as a community hub and a leader in the local cooperative economy. We have a diversified portfolio that includes a 5-acre urban farm and a nonprofit arm, Weavers Way Community Programs, that conducts programming for children, youth and families.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package.
About the Area
Weavers Way is located in northwest Philadelphia. Our original store is in Mt. Airy, a community with a storied history of social activism beginning with the effort that resulted in its becoming one of the first neighborhoods in the United States to be successfully racially integrated. It continues today to be a neighborhood that welcomes diversity, openness and inclusiveness. Both Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill, the site of our second grocery store, are known for their beautiful tree-lined streets, varied and attractive housing options and proximity to Fairmount Park, the largest city park in the United States. Chestnut Hill boasts a beautiful, historic commercial district, and the Weavers Way store is central to it. Employees of Weavers Way live both in Philadelphia and the neighboring suburbs.
Resources
Click here for a list of job duties and responsibilities (PDF).
Click here for a list of job qualifications (PDF).
Click here for information about how the General Manager works with the Board at Weavers Way.
Weavers Way Farms represents the Co-op’s Ends in action: Our farm department operates working farms in Northwest Philadelphia that provide learning opportunities for our communities as well as fresh, environmentally responsible food.
At our two farm locations, Weavers Way grows more than 50 different types of vegetables and fruit on 6.5 acres, supplying our farmers market, the Weavers Way Co-op stores and the Henry Got Crops CSA with fresh produce. With roots in a volunteer-run garden, the farms now employ five full-time farmers during the growing season. Through the nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs), community members and students visit the farms and get their hands dirty planting, weeding, harvesting, tasting and learning about growing healthy food.
In 2000, Norma Brooks and other co-op members established the Mort Brooks Memorial Farm in honor of Norma's husband, a longtime Weavers Way Board member. This group of volunteers evolved into the Farm Committee, which continues to support the farms. In 2007, Weavers Way hired its first farm manager to produce food for the Mt. Airy store at the Mort Brooks Farm. Since its establishment, the surrounding land has grown into Awbury Agricultural Village, home to many new farming ventures. This farm site hosts our greenhouse, where we start our seedlings.
Henry Got Crops is a collaboration of Weavers Way Co-op, Food Moxie, W.B. Saul Agricultural High School and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.
The farm is on the grounds of Saul High School in Roxborough, on land owned by PPR on the edge of Wissahickon Park. Henry Got Crops emerged in 2009 from an existing partnership between the Co-op and the high school. Saul students are involved with every aspect of the farm, from hands-on fieldwork to newsletter writing, applied research and summer internships. The farm continues to grow — in 2012, we planted a 1.5-acre fruit and nut orchard. Another exciting part of the project, Henry Got Compost, turns manure from the Saul dairy barn and Philadelphia Zoo, vegetable waste from Bennett Compost and our Weavers Way Co-op Produce and Prep Foods departments, and coffee grounds from High Point Cafe into high-quality compost for our fields and for resale. (Email compost@weaversway.coop for info about compost deliveries.)
Henry Got Crops hosts our farm market, open to the public in season (May - Nov). It also serves as our CSA pickup.
Weavers Way Farms represents the Co-op’s Ends in action: Our farm department operates working farms in Northwest Philadelphia that provide learning opportunities for our communities as well as fresh, environmentally responsible food.
At our two farm locations, Weavers Way grows more than 50 different types of vegetables and fruit on 6.5 acres, supplying our farmers market, the Weavers Way Co-op stores and the Henry Got Crops CSA with fresh produce. With roots in a volunteer-run garden, the farms now employ five full-time farmers during the growing season. Through the nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs), community members and students visit the farms and get their hands dirty planting, weeding, harvesting, tasting and learning about growing healthy food.
In 2000, Norma Brooks and other co-op members established the Mort Brooks Memorial Farm in honor of Norma's husband, a longtime Weavers Way Board member. This group of volunteers evolved into the Farm Committee, which continues to support the farms. In 2007, Weavers Way hired its first farm manager to produce food for the Mt. Airy store at the Mort Brooks Farm. Since its establishment, the surrounding land has grown into Awbury Agricultural Village, home to many new farming ventures. This farm site hosts our greenhouse, where we start our seedlings.
Henry Got Crops is a collaboration of Weavers Way Co-op, Food Moxie, W.B. Saul Agricultural High School and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.
The farm is on the grounds of Saul High School in Roxborough, on land owned by PPR on the edge of Wissahickon Park. Henry Got Crops emerged in 2009 from an existing partnership between the Co-op and the high school. Saul students are involved with every aspect of the farm, from hands-on fieldwork to newsletter writing, applied research and summer internships. The farm continues to grow — in 2012, we planted a 1.5-acre fruit and nut orchard. Another exciting part of the project, Henry Got Compost, turns manure from the Saul dairy barn and Philadelphia Zoo, vegetable waste from Bennett Compost and our Weavers Way Co-op Produce and Prep Foods departments, and coffee grounds from High Point Cafe into high-quality compost for our fields and for resale. (Email compost@weaversway.coop for info about compost deliveries.)
Henry Got Crops hosts our farm market, open to the public in season (May - Nov). It also serves as our CSA pickup.
