We are thrilled to report that our 2019 Round Up program is on pace to more than double the amount of donations collected in 2018!!
2018: $12,425.59
2019 as of 6/30: $15,232.43
These amounts are typically just a few coins at a time, but they ADD UP! Every last cent [though not in actual coin form] goes to Soulful Seeds, a wonderful local gardening non-profit, who has this to share:
At any given time, 12-15% of the population in our community is food insecure, meaning they lack access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity along with issues like affordable housing are longterm determinants of health and well being that have far-reaching consequences for all of us. At Soulful Seeds, our work is focused on our Four Core Pillars aimed at reducing food insecurity by providing fresh healthy food to vulnerable populations. Every penny you donate is appreciated and helps us to progress in this work and move closer to alleviating food insecurity.
Pillar 1 - Community Gardens: Through collaboration and partnerships, we're working to establish a base of community gardens. With our partners, we'll be forming a Community Food Insecurity Coalition--bringing together organizations that can provide healthy food with those that can assist in its distribution, enabling maximization of fresh, healthy food to homeless, working poor, families, veterans, and seniors.
Pillar 2 - Neighborhood Gardens: This initiative focuses on providing gardens as close as possible to the populations that need it. In addition to other projects, Soulful Seeds is partnering with Washoe County and raising money to establish and run a 3-acre farm on the Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMHS) campus. The County is currently investing 11 million dollars to refurbish housing and facilities for the rehabilitation of homeless populations. We're working with Stonegate Developers, who are donating their time to develop renderings and a phased project budget. Stay tuned for more details and funding goals...
Pillar 3 - Education: Individuals living on or near our neighborhood garden sites will learn to plant, grow, and harvest food. As we grow, we'll partner with other organizations such as the Great Basin Community Food Co-op to provide nutrition and cooking classes.
Pillar 4 - Workforce Development: Our farm on the NNAMHS campus will eventually have a farmer's market stand to allow residents that care for the garden to sell produce. We're also are in the initial stages of developing a Soulful Seeds Spice Company. Our initial offering and beta test is Soulful Seeds Organic Smoked Paprika Garlic Salt, which will be sold at Great Basin Community Food Co-op and other events. Our objective is to create a non-profit company where we can put those that are successful in their recovery back to work--enabling movement from poverty to sustainability. We're currently in discussion with local companies and agencies that may be able to partner with us on this endeavor.
In addition to feeding people, studies show that community gardens create a sense of independence and community along with the physical and mental health benefits of gardening. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram where we post about upcoming events. If you want to contribute, you can connect with us through our website: soulful-seeds.com.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to this fantastic endeavor through the Round Up program. These donations are hard at work, strengthening the fabric of our community!
HOLY MACAROONY the coconut macaroon is back! Baked fresh with organic ingredients including Local Organic Eggs from Palomino Valley. The name comes from the Italian maccarone meaning "paste", referring to the original almond paste ingredient; this word itself derives from ammaccare, meaning "to crush". And from now until July 30th you can crush them for just $1.49 each!
Have you tried these new Chicken Mozz Enchiladas? They are the latest creation of our head chef Tony ...and they might be the tastiest enchiladas we've ever had. Made with all organic ingredients and topped with a delicious house-made Green Enchilada Sauce and organic Mozzarella. Don't miss em, and keep your eyes peeled for a vegan-friendly version coming out soon! Find them in our prepared foods cooler, ready to grab'n'go wherever you're headed.
We’re in love with our new line of Booda Lip and Body Balm that comes in biodegradable tubes! The Booda Butter Daily Moisturizer has quickly become a must have for the hard working hands✋🤚in our Grocery and Wellness department.
Deviled eggs with Local Organic Palomino Eggs are back! According to the nearest pocket computer, the classic appetizer was served as early as ancient Roman times, and is also known globally as stuffed eggs, Russian eggs, dressed eggs, or even "salad eggs" which just sounds funny. So why the wicked moniker? Deviled was a popular term in the 19th century used to refer to foods with spicy or zesty flavors. While these won't make steam come out of your ears, they are sinfully delicious - flavored with Organic Sriracha Sauce, Organic Dijon Mustard, and Organic Paprika. Find them daily in our prepared foods cases!
From the Food Shed Cafe, here is Emmanuela Gore on her favorite item: “This is the Vegan Cinnamon Roll. I think I discovered these during my first week here. Until then I had only had vegan cinnamon rolls that I made at home because they’re just impossible to find. I was so excited to find them here, and it does not disappoint. The flakiness is really wonderful and unique - its less a traditional cinnamon roll dough and much more like a croissant. The frosting is also not overpoweringly sweet which is great because I’m not a huge sugar fan. They are best at the end of the day, when I clock out its nice to have a bit of sugar with a glass of wine. But I was just shocked that these even existed - finding vegan pastries is generally pretty difficult, and then finding ones that aren’t really dry and hard to eat is even more rare - so to find one thats so good and made with organic ingredients is just incredible - they have the power of guilt-free joy.”
Here’s our grocery intake extraordinaire Max Tsang on his favorite item in the store: “This is the Local Lead Dog Brewing Citra Solo IPA. We sell these in four packs and single cans. I first had this when it came in months ago, and I’ve been enjoying these probably once a week since. The mouthfeel on these is great, and the taste hits all the nice citrus flavors: orange, grapefruit, tangerine. I don’t normally like IPA’s but when I tried this it just kinda blew my mind. It still has the multi sweetness from an IPA but with all the citrus in there, its just like WHOA. This is my favorite from Lead Dog but their Conan’s Wrath and the Peanut Butter Stout are both pretty good too. Best way to consume these? I wanna say you sip on it, but the way that I typically drink them, I buy the four pack and then in one sitting they’re gone."
Here is our Produce Dept Leader Geneva with her two favorite items at the co-op: “These Fuego Tortillas by Siete are my favorite chips right now. I first had them at Sac Foods Co-op and they were so good, they kinda tasted like a nice version of hot cheetos. I like them plain but they’re great with queso dip, and I’ve been using them to eat the burrito bowls in the cafe - they make super good scoops for that. A lot of grain-free chips that try to mimic conventional chip flavors can be a little off, but these are pretty spot on with the spice in their own unique way, plus they’re owned by a cool family. I’m also holding mixed flower bouquets from Full Belly Farm. This is really why I’m in produce - for the flowers. I love having these on the floor for everyone to gawk at. The farm is in Capay Valley just North of Sacramento and grows with a more holistic approach to sustainability, and they’re certified organic which is rare for flowers. Most flowers on the market are sprayed heavily with pesticides, and maybe 90% of them are imported from places like South America. So these are really special - to have beautiful organic flowers from nearby - you can really smell them without inhaling a bunch of bad things."
Have you seen this yet? Its the USDA's new GMO label. [hey, where's the microscope?] This logo will be popping up on food packaging in the near future. To curb the ensuing confusion, provide transparency, and educate those who wish to exercise their right to know just what is in their foods, we are sharing this informative piece by the National Cooperative Grocers. Stay informed!
EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Open every day from 730am-9pm
Our mailing address is:
240 Court St Reno, NV 89501
775.324.6133
info@greatbasinfood.coop
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