Oklahoma Food Cooperative

Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House
Oklahoma City, OK

Daily contact with small, struggling farmers, combined with commitment to the social justice teachings of the Catholic Church, led members of the Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House in Oklahoma City to begin thinking of ways to re-create the local food system. Local residents desired fresh, healthy foods and farmers needed a way to sell their goods directly to the public. Connecting local producers and consumers was a way to promote local sustainability, provide economic assistance to small farmers, and encourage proper stewardship of creation as well. As a first step, they decided to create and publicize a website offering free space for farmers to list their products for sale.

In early 2003, building on interest generated from the website, members of the CW House initiated a series of public meetings throughout Oklahoma to brainstorm what else could be done. At these meetings, the idea of a food cooperative was born. The Oklahoma Food Cooperative organizing committee came together and soon after, in November 2003, operations began. In an effort to promote environmental stewardship, the Co-op adopted a policy that meat, eggs, or poultry products that originate in Confined Animal Feeding Operations would not be allowed to be sold through the Cooperative. Additionally, no genetically modified products are allowed, and no products from animals that have been given bovine growth hormones.

Rather than offering membership only to producers, the Co-op agreed to allow membership of both producers and consumers and operate as a food delivery service. Members purchase a capital share in the coop for $50, and some donate memberships for low-income persons. Each month, members place orders during the second week, produce is brought together in a central location to be divided by volunteers during the third week, and then produce is distributed to ten different pick-up locations around the state. Members can also donate money each month for the Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House to buy food from local farmers to give to the poor as part of its ministry to delivery food to people in need who cannot get to a regular food bank. Further, many producers also bring extra produce and donate it for the poor. Thus, each month, there is quite a lot of food to give to those in need.

As word traveled, membership grew quickly to nearly 250 people, only one-quarter of whom were farmers. Sales have continued to rise, reaching nearly $10,000 a month, and costs are kept low by volunteers and borrowing space in churches for dividing and distributing the food. Thus, most of the profits have been given directly to farmers.