Councilwoman Bass reading from the City Council Resolution honoring cooperatives

PACA members from Weavers Way, Kensington Community Food Co-op, Mariposa Food Co-op, and the Energy Co-op with the resolution

Brianna Gianti from the National Cooperative Business Association

Teresa Mansell from Childspace Cooperative Development, Inc.

PACA Kicks Off International Year of Cooperatives

The International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) got off to a great start in Philadelphia on February 8th at Fergie’s Pub, where more than 70 members of local co-ops celebrated, mingled, and learned more about the local and national co-op movements. Members of consumer co-ops, housing co-ops, worker co-ops, and credit unions came together for the first time in this historic event. Highlighting the evening was the presentation of the recently-passed City Council Resolution on Cooperatives by Philadelphia Councilwoman Cindy Bass to the newly formed Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA).

Brianna Gianti, Membership Director from National Cooperative Business Association, came from Washington DC and spoke about other events around the country during the IYC. Local co-op leader Bob Noble reported on the formation of PACA to support and promote cooperatives in the Philadelphia region.

During the celebration at Fergie’s each co-op gave a brief one-minute presentation.