North/Central Oak Park Proposal Julian Ruzzier-Gaul, Elijah T. Kajar, Eglantine Xieu, Jasmine Dulai

CRD 156

Proposal Summary• Worker Owned Food Cooperative with an incorporated

Job Training Program for youth.o Target Population: Unemployed, specifically youtho Goals to provide:

jobs and ownership for workers in Co-op training and development for youth in workforce healthy and affordable food Close Proximity for all areas of the neighborhood More job opportunities within neighborhood

o This proposal is appropriate for North/Central Oak Park because of the need for a grocery store that provides healthy foods as well as sustainable jobs and training for those who live and work within the neighborhood

• There is a large number of individuals who live in Central/North Oak Park neighborhood but work outside.

• Very small number of individuals who live and work in the area.

• There has been a slight increase in the number of employed and living in selected area since 2002 but not a notably large change.

• There has been increase of earnings for employed residents working outside the neighborhood

• The earnings for outside workers commuting into area jobs have declined a little but there were no drastic changes

• Area jobs filled by residents had a dramatic decrease

• Residents who work in the area have incomes that are significantly less than those residents that commute outside of the neighborhood to work

Proximity to Food Sources

Supermarket Locations

Neighborhood Food Availability

Budget

Key Evidence & Findings• The Google map provides information on the need for healthy food in

close proximity

• Residents only have access to food in liquor stores, which provide little to no healthy alternativeso Low incomeo healthy and affordable alternative

• Davida Douglas mentions that a worker co-op will fit the needs of the community

• Worker Owned Food Co-opo provide jobso youth job training

Expected OutcomeWorker Owned Food Cooperative will:

• Bring jobs back into the neighborhood

• Allow employed residents to be in close proximity to their jobs

• Provide job training for youth

• Provide healthy, affordable food source to residents in the neighborhood

• Continue the redevelopment of the neighborhood

Strengths and WeaknessesStrengths:

• Available land to start co-op

• Provide living wages to dozens of families

• Provide job and leadership training for youth

• Healthier food sources available for residentsWeaknesses:

• Large scale co-op can be costly

• Lack of capital from traditional institutionso Rely heavily on internal funds

• Slower decision makingo large amount of owners that require voting to make decisions will slow

down the process