Read the Latest Email Blast from Rising Tide!

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that we are entering the second half of June. The last few months have become a blur with all the change, yet we continue to chart new territory. I look at the calendar of events that we so carefully laid out for this year and am saddened by the lost opportunities and time together as a community. For instance, gathering for Celebrate Local has become such a nice event to honor our local producers and see our neighbors. We will find a different way to do it and look forward to a time when we can join together in person.
There have also been many silver linings and every day I feel grateful for the people around me and the locally produced food and products that have been essential during this time. Thank you to all of you for your ongoing support of Rising Tide. The ripple of that support reaches over 250 farmers and small businesses. You are making a difference!

On Monday, Governor Mills announced that retail establishments could increase the number of customers in their stores. Rising Tide will be taking a measured step in this direction and ask for your help.

• Please continue to wear face coverings. That protocol has not changed. This is the most important preventative step we can all take for our community.
• Please continue to social distance in the store.
• Rising Tide will continue to provide a greeter during our busiest times and on Senior Wednesdays. They will sanitize carts and baskets and keep a count of customers entering the building.
• When there is not a greeter:
  • If a cart or basket is available outside, you are welcome to come in. If not, please wait for a shopper to come out. This will continue to be our way to monitor the number of customers in the store.
  • Please use our self-serve sanitizer station to wipe your cart or basket and sanitize your hands. Gloves are available for those who prefer them, as are masks for people without them. If any supplies are low, please let a staff person know.
  • After taking groceries to your car, please return your cart or basket to the front of the store so others know that they are welcome to go in.
  • If you do have to wait outside, please use the yellow arrows as a guide for appropriate social distancing.

We realize that for some people these steps may feel stressful and we encourage you to utilize our Curbside Service or find slower times to visit the building. Rising Tide is working hard to balance the economic needs of the business, and the diverse expectations of our community, with maintaining a high level of safety. We will continue to monitor the impacts of these steps and update them, as necessary.

As always, please do not come to the store if you are ill or need to quarantine. Free Curbside Service is available.

In gratitude and wishing you good health,
Heather

Dear Rising Tide Co-op Member-Owners and Community,

Thank you for your ongoing support. The outpouring of love in the form of free facemasks, cards, kind words, and donations to the Loving Local Meals has been vital to keeping our spirits up and the store thriving. It has enabled us to continue to be a strong outlet for local products and to provide economic stability for the producers and consumers who depend on us.

Conversations in the store this week have focused on intention. As all our lives have been shaken and continue to require flexibility and accommodation, what opportunity lies in this time of recess and reset? What habits had we formed or systems and expectations that were not in alignment with our goals or mission? In this time, we have a chance to move forward with intention. As you will see, Rising Tide is sticking to our mission to take care of the planet and in turn our long-term health. We are allowing reusable bags and containers and have maintained access to bulk food items. Rising Tide is also sticking to our commitment to the local food system and expanding our vision for what that means. The Loving Local Meals is one new step we have taken and there are other conversations and opportunities we look forward to sharing as they unfold. Grounding ourselves in Rising Tide’s mission is helping us move forward with intention and with hope. Thank you for taking this journey with us.

Another part of looking forward in these challenging times has been looking inward and taking steps to strengthen Rising Tide’s infrastructure. As such, we have posted an opening for a Store Manager. This is not the same as a General Manager (I am deeply committed and excited to continue to help steward Rising Tide forward in this time of unknowns and opportunities), and will focus on directly supporting the department managers and the store operations as a whole. Please visit our website to see the job posting and consider sending the information to qualified individuals you may know.

This e-newsletter includes many great updates, so please be sure to scroll through and learn more about what is happening at the store and the logistics which continue to change as we navigate this time. As always, we welcome your questions and ideas. That is what makes Rising Tide special. We are a cooperative and a community with a desire to make a positive difference together.

With hope for the future,

Heather

Dear Co-op Members and Shoppers,                      

During this time of increasing need for members of our community, I wanted to explain the SHARE program that is currently offered by the co-op.  The SHARE Program was originally introduced in 2017 and it has slowly grown over the past few years.  The acronym SHARE stands for “Supporting Households and Reaching Everyone” and the name encompasses the purpose of the program which is increased access to healthy local foods for all.  The SHARE program gives a 10% discount on all eligible purchases each time a member shops. Please see the FAQs for more information or reach out to me directly at jess.b@risingtide.coop

Thank you for your continued support,  Jess BourneCo-op Experience Manager