Sent 07/03/2026 As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we should look not only at the words that launched the American experiment, but also at the institutions that have helped people live out its promises. The founding documents gave revolutionary expression to liberty, self-government and popular sovereignty. The Declaration of Independence speaks of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and of governments deriving “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The Constitution begins with “We the People” and commits the nation to securing “the Blessings of Liberty.” Those phrases are rightly remembered as political commitments. They also point to a way of engaging in society and the economy: people governing, building, organizing and solving problems together. Across American history, cooperatives have offered one of the most important and practical ways for people to act on those ideas in economic life. Cooperatives help Americans practice freedom by giving people a democratic way to own, govern and benefit from the businesses that impact their lives. While freedom is sometimes described as independence from others, cooperatives remind us that freedom can also be strengthened through association with others. People often become freer when they join together to solve problems they cannot solve alone. This is where democracy and freedom meet in the cooperative model. Democracy is not just a value cooperatives admire; it is built into cooperative governance. The 2nd Cooperative Principle is “democratic member control.” Members govern the enterprise. Members elect representatives. Members have voice. And the 4th Cooperative Principle, “autonomy and independence,” insists that cooperatives must remain controlled by their members, even when they work with governments, lenders or other partners. Together, these principles make a distinct claim: people should be able to build institutions together and keep those institutions accountable to the people they serve. That is a deeply American proposition. And there is a real synergy: not only have the American notions of freedom and democracy influenced how people use cooperatives; people who are active in cooperatives apply these principles back into their civic life. Even before American independence, Benjamin Franklin and his fellow Philadelphians were experimenting with this kind of practical freedom. In 1752, Franklin and others helped found the Philadelphia Contributionship, a mutual insurance company through which policyholders came together to share the risk of fire. It reflected an instinct that would become central to the cooperative tradition: people facing a common challenge can organize, govern and protect one another. Franklin’s mutual fire insurer was not charity. It was organized self-help. Neighbors pooled risk, elected directors, inspected property, priced risk and built reserves so that one household’s catastrophe would not necessarily become a family’s ruin. That is a practical form of freedom: not the freedom to stand alone against every danger, but the freedom to build institutions that make people and communities stronger and more secure. That same spirit has appeared again and again in American cooperative history. For Black Americans, cooperative economics has often been a strategy for self-determination, institution-building and community control in the face of exclusion from markets, credit, land ownership and public protection. Through mutual aid societies, credit unions, purchasing clubs, agricultural cooperatives and community institutions, people used cooperation to build economic power where existing systems denied it. Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard documents this long tradition in Collective Courage, showing how Black communities used cooperative economic strategies not as an abstraction, but as a practical response to discrimination and economic exclusion. These efforts were not separate from American ideals. They were demands that those ideals be made real. Credit unions offer another example. As member-owned financial cooperatives, they put people over profit. By expanding access to savings, loans and other financial services, credit unions help make financial freedom more attainable. Access to fair credit determines whether families can buy homes, start businesses, manage emergencies, pursue education and build wealth over time. Credit unions are part of the infrastructure of opportunity. “I joined the board because I saw how important Rising Tide is to our local food system, food access programs, and the community as a whole, and I wanted to be part of that.” – LeifaApplications (in the Candidate Packet) may be found here, with a deadline of July 15th to submit. Want to learn more? Email deb.s@risingtide.coop How much yellow can YOU eat, drink, and buy in July to brighten the lives of Maine domestic abuse survivors? All month, Rising Tide will donate 5% of our sales of lemons and bananas to Finding Our Voices. Since the 1970’s the Waldoboro Food Pantry has existed to serve those in the greater Waldoboro area. Each food pantry day, volunteers distribute packaged goods, eggs, milk, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables to anywhere from 110 to over 150 households. The food pantry operates 100% on donations. Their donations come from individuals, businesses, towns, churches, and other community organizations. Kick off the weekend on Friday, July 10, with cocktails and appetizers at the Garden Party, which features silent and live auctions, both curated by David S. East. Join us for the main event on Saturday, July 11, to select one of Torie’s plates, enjoy a seasonal lunch buffet, and revel in our artistic community. We recommend purchasing a ticket in advance. Sign up for The Rising Times newsletter and get this great information straight in your email!
July 03,2026
AND INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COOPERATIVES!
We will be open 7am – 8pm on July 4.
WHERE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY MEET
AN AMERICAN LEGACY OF COOPERATION
ALL MONTH!
Every month, we donate .5% of our Wednesday sales to an organization nominated and voted on by our member-owners. That organization is also invited to come into Rising Tide and present information and takeaways for the public to be educated and aware of this organization’s efforts within our community.
JULY’S PARTNER:
All spices are donated by our kind sponsors at Rising Tide Co-op.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY
Red, white, and BBQ! All of us at Rising Tide wish you a happy and safe holiday.
AT 250 AND BEYOND – COOPERATIVES’ ROLE IN OUR AMERICAN STORY
By Doug O’Brien, President and CEO, NCBA CLUSA. Published Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Original.
RUN FOR THE BOARD
The Rising Tide Board of Directors is continuing to accept board member applications.
WE’RE PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR FRIENDS AT WATERSHED CENTER FOR THE CERAMIC ARTS
Please join us for Watershed’s 31st annual Salad Days event, featuring more than 500 handmade plates by Torie Crouse. Salad Days is a beloved community tradition that provides an opportunity to visit our rural Maine campus and learn about our programs that support the growth of artists working in clay.
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SKIDOMPHA LIBRARYWant to expand your palette, but don’t know where to start? Hate buying a whole jar of a spice you’re not even sure you’ll like? Try Skidompha’s new Spice of Life Collection! Starting the first Tuesday of each month, patrons will be able to take home a sample of the highlighted spice, two recipes on how to use it, and a suggested reading/history guide.
AUTOMATIC ROUND UP
As a member-owner you have the option to round up at the register every time, without being asked. Talk to a front end team member, click on the graphic below, or email Shannon at outreach@risingtide.coop if you would like to set this up. Thanks!
SUPPORT LOCAL