Shoshanna Grunwald
Why would you like to serve on the City Market Board? What excites you about becoming a Board Member?
City Market has been a regular part of my life in Burlington since moving here in 2014, first to the Old North End, now in the South End. Even prior to that, I was aware of the co-op as a shining example of a successful food co-op, having outlived so many others founded around the same time across the country. The opportunity to serve this celebrated institution in a capacity beyond being a member-owner and dedicated shopper, while returning to my roots of working with co-ops, is very exciting to me. Having spent many years on staff of non-profits and cooperatives, and having worked with many boards, I understand the importance–and the important distinction–of each role. Helping to ensure City Market’s long term sustainability and community alignment as a board member would allow me to deepen my connection to this community by giving back with an aim towards moving us forward.
The Board seeks candidates who are dedicated, cooperative, committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and willing to participate in group discussions ranging from financial oversight to support of management, staff and Members. Please describe the skills and experiences you have that will help you be an effective Board Member in these regards. How would you use your skills and experiences to help the Board understand and use data as part of the decision-making process of our community-owned cooperative?
A common thread throughout my professional career has been building and creatively improving systems to create effective organizations. Included in my definition of systems are the teams of people organized towards clear goals in support of a mission; leading and participating in these teams has been some of the most rewarding of my career. Throughout my experience in governance as a co-op member and founder, with financial and human resource management as a supervisor/employer, and with union negotiations, I have aimed to be data-informed because organizations and systems cannot be effectively built or sustained, and are unlikely to have just outcomes, without listening to and understanding the unique challenges and needs of end users and impacted parties. Additionally, as a decision-making body, I believe boards have a responsibility to appropriately share information about the basis of their decisions; effective, transparent communication is as important as gathering the right data to inform it. Seeking data and diverse perspectives, and sharing information appropriately, is what I would aim to bring to the role of City Market board member.
Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
My involvement with co-ops goes back to childhood, helping my parents divvy up cheeses and natural peanut butter for the local natural foods cooperative buying club. As an adult, I’ve held memberships in credit unions, retail co-ops, food co-ops, and an electricity co-op, where I was also a staff member. That experience at The Energy Co-op in Philadelphia grew my passion for the cooperative principles and business models, leading first to an informal network of local co-ops cooperating for mutual aid and benefit, and then to formally co-founding the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA), an organization that still exists some 14 years later after we started it. Over the years, I’ve learned that while many similarities exist in the nonprofit/co-op world and familiarity with those unique requirements (membership and governance structures, laws and regulations, etc) is helpful, no two organizations face the same challenges. The strength of any organization comes down to the commitment and engagement of its people, how well it aligns with the community needs that give it purpose, and how it adapts and evolves as its people and its context inevitably change.
The Board collaborates with the General Manager to support inclusion, diversity, equity, access and social justice (IDEAS) at City Market. How would you ensure that the Board's work is grounded in these principles? How would you help point City Market in the right direction when it comes to IDEAS? Please describe any prior involvement in IDEAS work either personally or professionally?
Another common thread throughout my academic, professional, and volunteer experience is engaging with and promoting IDEAS. For the last decade, I’ve worked at UVM in the Division of Student Affairs, a field steeped in the rich and challenging history of practicing what it preaches for the betterment of students and student affairs practitioners. There, I’ve participated in many professional development opportunities specific to DEI including training in restorative practices. Prior to that, I worked at an energy co-op serving both urban electricity consumers and rural heating oil consumers, aiming to increase access to more renewable AND affordable options, squarely engaging in many issues of equity and justice. As a City Market board member, I would aim to reflect my personal convictions and the membership’s commitment to IDEAS by continuing to learn from national and local organizations sharing best practices and doing IDEAS research, and, most important, listening and participating in active dialogue with the General Manager, fellow members, and the local community.
What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
I think City Market, like most businesses, will continue to face financial challenges as markets and supply chains are disrupted by tariffs and other global volatility, and rising healthcare and other costs of living add pressure on the workforce it’s trying to maintain. More locally, I assume the Downtown store is likely going to continue to feel the effects of Burlington’s struggles with crime, construction, and decreased tourism, while the South End location has its own challenges resulting from growth and staffing shortages. These struggles will require continued membership growth and satisfaction, prompting us to think about benefits and opportunities in creative ways. Historically, co-ops have often sprung up and been the most successful when the community comes together to meet an unmet need; as long as we continue to listen to our community about what needs exist and maintain strong partnerships with aligned organizations and our employees, I believe City Market has a promising future ahead.